


Can I Go Nowhere With You

by My_Dear_Watson



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-06
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2017-12-25 19:45:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/956915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Dear_Watson/pseuds/My_Dear_Watson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rowena knew she really should've seen joining all of the factions she was in coming back to bite her someday. She just wished that she wasn't recovering from a job gone wrong when everything started going downhill.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Brynjolf looked on idly as Delvin overenthusiastically listened as little Runa and Hroar recalled one of their latest adventures to the pair of them. He loved the little monsters, thought he would never admit it, and was interested in their story, but he had a job waiting for their adopted mother that was all but made for her.

“And the hare was  _this big_!”

“That big?! Did you use your slingshot, or the bow and arrow that we got you?”

“My slingshot.  Ma says I’m not allowed to use the bow and arrow you got me, even if it’s just a toy. Say, do you think you can give me a real one soon?”

Delvin chuckled. “Maybe soon, but we have to do it on your Mum’s time. I’ve been on the other end of her wrath before, I’m never doing it again.”

“Uncle Bryn doesn’t seem to mind!” Hroar pointed out.

“Oi! Don’t bring me into this!” Brynjolf teased. After a moment, he grinned and leaned forward. “Speaking of that bow and arrow why don’t you get it for me and I’ll fix it up for you so you can try getting birds now,”

Hroar beamed before hurrying down the flight of stairs to his and Runa’s room.

“She’s gonna kill you this time, you know that right?” Delvin asked.

Brynjolf shrugged. “Ro’s barely ever in these parts these days. Off travelling to new lands, I’m surprised those two even still call her ‘Ma’, since they have us and Lydia watching them more than ‘er.”

“She was retired from most of that business,” Delvin pointed out, leaning forward so they could have the hushed conversation without worrying the kids.  “It’s not her fault the requests for her help piled up. I mean-“

Both jumped when there was a rather loud slam from the foyer, and a moment later, a stranger turned the corner with something distinctly human hoisted over one shoulder. He was wearing some sort of armor neither had seen, made from some unfortunate animals’ chitin, by the looks of it, and he just stood by, watching them silently for a moment before the thieves hurried to action.

Delvin put himself between the stranger’s path and the staircase, barking at Runa and Hroar to stau put, and Brynjolf drew his sword. The latter was about to make a threat until he realized he knew the person the man was holding. Pale skin, long black hair that twisted in the back, all wrapped up in Ebony mail. “He’s got Ro,” he reported. “If you’re looking for a ransom on the Dragonborn, I think you’ll find that her allies will gladly kill you before you have the chance to get it.”

“I’m not here for ransom, I’m here because she called this place home and clearly she’s not in any shape to be bringing herself, so if you would lower your weapon,” the man began.

“Put her down,” Brynjolf snarled.

“Your friend would have to let me through for me to do that without hurting her in the process. Now who are you?” the stranger demanded.

“I could ask you the same,” Brynjolf challenged.

“Teldryn Sero, at your service- or Rowena’s, anyway.”

Brynjolf’s eyes flicked to the unconscious woman at the mention of her name. “What did you do to her?”

“I did nothing except drag her half dead body onto a boat and back here, you ingrate! Now I asked you a question. According to her notes this is her home and she didn’t speak of a husband.”

“We’re friends,”

“Good. So am I. Can I put the lady down now?”

“Uncle Bryn! What’s going on?” Runa called from downstairs.

Brynjolf flinched. Of course she would give them away. “Nothing, Runa! Stay down there!”

“But-“

“Runa!” Brynjolf barked, and that effectively silenced her. Brynjolf looked back at Teldryn, and to his surprise, he was still waiting to be directed over. “Give her to me,”

“I told you my name, you tell me yours before we continue.”

Brynjolf cringed again, but sighed. He had a point. “That’s Delvin, I’m Brynjolf-“

“And your relation to Rowena?“

“Family,” Delvin interrupted. “Now give us our girl.”

They could both tell the man was sizing them up under the mask.

Teldryn finally spoke up again. “That’s… Thieves Guild armor, isn’t it? Forgive me if I don’t trust you-“

Delvin snorted. “Then if you’re really her friend you’re putting your trust in the wrong people. She runs the bloody operation. Now hand her over.”

Teldryn hesitated, then nodded and eased the Dragonborn off her shoulder and passed her over to Brynjolf, who carried her to her room and laid her on the bed. He looked her over, pushing the hair from her face.  “She’s running a fever. Delvin, get Vekel. He’ll have some supplies.”

“On it,” Delvin replied before leaving.

Brynjolf glanced over at Teldryn. “Any chance you’ll take the helmet off, Friend?”

“Not one. So, are all Skyrim people so welcoming?”

“Only when our land’s hero who happens to be a close friend looks dead and is carried in by a sketchy stranger,” Brynjolf shot back. “Now, what happened? Be quick, and be honest. We’re not ones for lies- and nor are two twins who have taken a shining to her and would gladly rip a man’s head off for messing with her."

“Ah. Those two must be Farkas and Vilkas. She mentioned them. Mentioned the Guild, too.”

“Then why the fuss?”

“Because she pays well and I wanted to make sure we talked things out before a fight may have happened and she might’ve gotten hurt.”

Brynjolf rolled his eyes.

And then from downstairs came two calls of “Uncle Bryn!” again, and he went over to close the wooden hatch door that Delvin had suggested installing after a new thief attempted to break in and got in the basement- where Rowena kept most of her valuables at the time.

“I’m not one to harm children,” Teldryn pointed out.

“I’m not taking chances.”

The pair glared each other down before a weak moan came from the bed. “Stop… stop… fighting. Fighting…  not good,”

Brynjolf sent Teldryn a warning look before closing the distance between him and her and taking her hand. “What was that, Lass?”

“I… no fighting,” Rowena repeated.

Brynjolf frowned and watch the woman tremble as her body tried to fight whatever was going on .”Any ideas what this is from? Poison? Spell?”

She shook her head, then flinched and attempted to curl in on herself. “Are the kids…?”

“They’re fine. They’re in their room. I've got them.”

Rowena nodded, then prodded his arm. “Trust Teldryn…  he looks rough around the edges but he’s okay.”

Brynjolf’s frown deepened. “Vekel’s on his way. Can I… can I do anything?”

“Just… try not to start anything when I’m out… killing makes for… bad things,”

Brynjolf leaned forward and tried not to make a face. She knew he wasn’t one for killing, so where’d that come from? Of course he wasn't going to kill Teldryn or whatever his name was. Besides, she  had found her start in the Dark Brotherhood before leaving after one too many innocents were slain, and then moved onto the Companions and then came to him. She had no qualms about killing before, and had been almost okay with going against them and killing people who gave them trouble, so why start caring now. “Lass?” He moved her hair again. “What happened?”

 “ ‘Nother… Dragonborn,” she curled in on herself again. “Hurt… alone,”

Brynjolf leaned forward. “Alone? Hold on. Did you just say another Dragonborn? How …?”

“Bryn, tired. Can we…?”               

Brynjolf gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze in agreement, then nodded. “Try to hang in there, Ro,” he replied. “Vekel’s on his way to get you sorted out,” he assured her, then smiled weakly when he noticed she was out cold already. He stood slowly, then looked at Teldryn and motioned at the chair opposite him. “Sit. Where did you find her?”

“She was out cold in Raven Rock. There was… trouble. I don’t know all the details.  There were books… books that some people say were living. I didn’t see it, but… I found her passed out, and she came to long enough to tell me to come here,” he replied. “Though I doubted she would lower herself to such standard surroundings if she’s Dragonborn…”

“They aren’t her usual. She came here to get away from that life for a time,”

“A lot of good that did her,” Teldryn replied.

Brynjolf shot him a glare. “She put me in charge of this place when she left to… wherever she found you. I will throw you out if you disrespect the lass or our home.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Teldryn countered.

Brynjolf growled and stood up, only to glance over when Delvin and Vekel stepped inside, the latter with a satchel slung over his shoulder. He got up. “We don’t know what’s wrong. He found her,” he reported, watching the bartender dig into his bag and take out three different potions and look from the woman and back for a moment before waving Brynjolf away.

“What-“

“Things may get ugly with any of this, Brynjolf. I’m your best, but… I’ve never seen her like this,” Vekel replied, then finally seemed to noticed Teldryn in the corner. “And who’s this?”

“A friend,” Teldryn answered. 

“Cryptic,” Vekel blinked. “Where are the little ones?”

Brynjolf tapped the hatch a couple of times with the toe of his boot.

Vekel nodded after a moment. “Maybe it’s best they stay there for a while. Delvin, last I asked, they like you better, so you might be preferred to explain that to them if Brynjolf isn't going to leave her side.”

Delvin nodded, then paused and nodded at Teldryn. “What’re we doing with him?”

Brynjolf sighed. “He stays, but not here. The Bee and the Barb is the place for you now,” he replied, glancing at Teldryn.

“How hospitable of you and your people,” Teldryn deadpanned, then stood slowly. “If she gets worse, find someone to tell me, would you? It’s best she has someone who cares as opposed to not doing a damn thing and pointing fingers about where her allegiances lie,” he added before getting up and walking out.

After Vekel unstopped one of the vials, he nodded at the door. “Who was that?”

Brynjolf shrugged. “Still not entirely sure about that myself,”

“… Do we need Dirge?”

“Not yet, but… who knows if that'll change in the future." 

* * *

 

Teldryn was quite pleased when, three days later, Brynjolf showed up at the Bee and Barb, looking tired, hesitant, and quite miffed. His satisfaction grew when the Nord approached him. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Troubles, Master Thief?”

Brynjolf shot him a glare. He inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry for my rudeness. Rowena’s awake but not saying much, but she did send me to bring you back to Honeyside, where you’re perfectly welcome,”

Teldryn smirked at how terribly rehearsed the apology was- not that the Nord was trying to sound sincere begin with. “I assume she told you to say all that?”

Brynjolf didn’t respond.

“Well, I could, but there was a traveler looking for a companion and he paid well-“

Brynjolf reached over, grabbed him by the back of his armor and started dragging him towards the door. “I’d say the Dragonborn takes precedent, don’t you?”

“Depends who’s asking,” Teldryn replied, and didn’t let the other man notice how the next shake jarred him for a moment. 

Then again, that was the cost of befriending a boss who just happened to be the Dragonborn and Gods only knew what else. This was going to get interesting. 


	2. Chapter 2

Brynjolf glanced over when he saw movement come from the master bedroom and frowned as he saw Rowena in the process of getting to her feet for the fifth time in the last hour. “Ro…” he warned.

“I’m fine, Bryn…” Rowena muttered. “I just… need some time,” she added, wandering over to get a drink of water before heading back over to the bed. She sat on it carefully. “Are Runa and Hroar…?”

“They’re . They’re worried about you. They actually argued with me about practicing with sword for the first time in favor of staying with you,” he replied, going to sit beside her.

Rowena sighed and flinched, leaning forward. “Take those away from them, will you? I know they like them, but… I don’t…”

Brynjolf watched her. He had seen her upset. He had seen her furious. He had seen her disappointed. He had seen her distrusting. But _this_? She was _broken_ , and he had _never_ seen her like that before. She had all the reason in the world to be broken and she had prevailed up until then. “What happened out there?” He put his hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off before leaning back on the bed. He turned to look at her. He scooted back. “Talk to . Not talking isn’t going to get you far. ”

Rowena turned. “I… became an endangered species of _one_ , that’s what happened.”

Brynjolf scooted back. “How do you figure ?” he asked. The front door opened and when Delvin stepped in, the pair simply looked at each other before Brynjolf looked back at Rowena. “Well, go on.”

Rowena flinched. “Well, I told you- started to tell you, anyway. When I was in Whiterun, these cultists attacked me. Dragonborn Cultists, they called themselves…”

“If they’re cultists for… you, why would they attack the real article?” Delvin cut in, leaning on the wall. “A bit… counterproductive, in’nit?”

“Because I wasn’t the only one,” Rowena replied. “Not at that point anyway.”

The men frowned. “What?”

Rowena sighed and sat up. “I… I had dealings with Hermaeus Mora before, and I just had them again, and… he had another Dragonborn on his side. Miraak. Apparently the Greybeards thought they should leave that little detail out. He was… he was a tyrant, but he was… he tried to kill me time and time again, but he had…he was just following orders, and Mora’s influence.”

Delvin spoke up, "Worst kind of people ‘just follow orders’, Boss.  Ulfric’s boys and girls-“

“ _I was one of them_ ,” Rowena cut him off.  “I didn’t agree with a thing they said or believed in, but I thought… I didn’t… I-“

“We know, Love. But took Shadowmere and beat them all to Whiterun, helped with the city’s defenses, saved people, gave them protection- Balgruff would be dead if it wasn’t for you! Ulfric is dead because he charged you for betraying him and you stabbed him on reflex. You’ve spared a bunch of people misery, Boss. That’s all we could ask for,” Delvin replied. “Point is the other ones followed his orders and killed blindly because it was in the job description.”

“A dark Daedric Prince, ?” Brynjolf backtracked. “Nocturnal’s one thing, and we heard about Molag Bal and the spot you were in, but…”

“I thought it would be okay, just like most of the other times. They all trapped me, but nothing came from it. I… … the first time I had no choice, and this one I didn’t know until it was too late,” Rowena replied. “I just… the point is failed, so Mora killed him, and… I just… I don’t want to be a pawn anymore. I don’t want to be any of their pawns. I don’t want to fight. I’m done. They can all fight their own battles now.”

Brynjolf squeezed her shoulder.

She sat up. “I… I think I need some time, just… away. I’m going to stay in Lakeview Manor. Do you think you can handle forwarding business that way?”

“Delvin?” Brynjolf redirected the question.

Delvin nodded. “Consider it done. Anything else?”

Rowena gawked at him for a moment as she noticed he had even entered the house. “I uh… I had something… for Sapphire. I need… I need to stop at the Guild before I leave. This is personal… on her part more than mine.”

“Fine. We’ll go and then we’ll head to Lakeview,” Brynjolf got up and offered his hand.

Rowena took it hesitantly and let him help her up. “ ‘We’?”

“I’m not letting you go anywhere on your own like this-“

“I’ve-“

“Not like before. Delvin and Vex can take care of the Guild when we’re gone-“

“Delvin and Vekel or Tonila. No Vex. And I can shout people to pieces, Bryn. I’m fine.”

Brynjolf snorted at the fact that even in her state she could voice her distaste for the other female thief and be headstrong as per usual when she assumed people doubted her. He looked over his shoulder. “Hear that, Delvin?”

“Loud and clear,” Delvin nodded.

Brynjolf turned his attention back to the Dragonborn and motioned at the door. “And you might be able to but you may still need help. No arguing. Pack some things and then leave. I’ll meet you out there.”

Rowena shot him a suspicious look, then shrugged it off. “We can’t just leave Teldryn…”

“Why not?” Brynjolf asked. He frowned and rolled his eyes when she shot him a warning look. “Fine, go get him, then we’ll meet you.”

“Sounds like a deal,” Rowena headed for the door and tried to hide the fact she stumbled on the way back to her room. She moved on when she realized she succeeded and went to pack.  

Delvin watched her leave, then glanced at Brynjolf. “By the way, I figured she’d want to go to Lakeview, so I arranged a visitor that’ll heighten her spirits,”

“Oh?”

“Not gonna bother sayin’. Gives me about a week’s head start to avoid you.”

“I- Who is it, Del?” Brynjolf asked, moving aside to let Rowena pass. He glanced at the back slung over her shoulder. Lighter than usual. Had the encounter that bad?

“You’ll find out. Now go get your girl.”

“She’s-“

“She _is_ , and you should go before she goes stumbling off one of the docks,”

Brynjolf swore before calling for Hroar and Runa and hurrying out of the house.

He wasn’t sure what to think when they had reached the Guild and Rowena went straight to Sapphire, not once paying any heed to Vex giving her a hard time about being gone so long like she usually did. She just handed a letter to the younger woman, Sapphire read it, the pair had a hushed conversation, and that was that. He had watched as Rune and the kids had a conversation, wondering just how and why the kids had grown accustomed to having their adopted mother hanging out with their sort- and then loving everyone involved in the Guild afterwards.

Rowena found him again, and they were on their way.

* * *

 

When they reached the stables, however, Brynjolf watched Rowena turn from the cart and its rider to the stables themselves. His heart sunk when she  approached the one thing that he had hoped wasn’t coming with them.

The beast turned its glowing red eyes on him as if reading his thoughts, and he turned abruptly, pretending to be far more interested in the kids looking apprehensive than  at it. He didn’t mind seeing Teldryn do a double take at the thing, either. He wandered over to the stable hand to negotiate prices for all of the horses he had, breaking and looking back at the sight that had him so worried every so often. He  managed to go through with it, paid the man after telling them to wait on a new convenient delivery of horses and went back to the group.

“It’s just a horse, Bryn,”

“Quite the… _horse_ ,” Teldryn cut in.

Brynjolf spared a glance at the mercenary. Well, maybe he wasn’t so bad.  He looked back at Rowena, who was glancing back at him as she gave Shadowmere a few slow pets on the neck. “ _Demon_ horse, Lass! There’s a difference! And you want these two with it?” he pointed at Hroar and Runa.

“We’re okay!” Runa objected.

“We like Shadowmere!” Hroar agreed.

Brynjolf shot them a glare, then went over to the last horse to strap their bags onto its saddle before climbing onto the one next to it. “Come on you two. We have quite the trip ahead,” he reported to the kids, only to find them arguing… again.

“But I want the white one!” Hroar objected.

“Don’t lie! You want the brown one because Uncle Bryn's is brown! You just say you want the white one to be mean to me!”

“Kids…” Rowena sighed. “It sounded like you said the truth there, Runa, so you get the white one and Hroar gets the brown one, and we can move on.”

“Yes, Mama…” the children chorused before heading for their respective horses. Brynjolf helped them up, and once they were settled, he looked back at his leader. “Where to first, Ro?”

“Sarethi Farm. I owe the lady there a few things, then… well, I guess we’ll work from there.”

“Lead the way."

* * *

 

It had been a quiet journey to the farm. Once they got there it had been a simple task of delivering ingredients to the owner and then harvesting cabbage and getting paid for the work. Honest work- Brynjolf was finally getting the charm. He only wished it paid better.

Of course, once they moved on, nothing could go as smoothly for a mercenary, one of the heads of the Thieves Guild, and the Dragonborn. They were attacked by a spriggan, a pack of wolves, a sabre cat and a bear all within an hour. A dragon, a troll and a dragon priest came along all at once an our after that. The three adults put up a good fight, making quick work of the troll, and Rowena and Teldryn took down the dragon with a fair bit of difficulty. 

It had taken another ten minutes to get the Priest weak enough for them to do any major damage.  But once Rowena got even a slight advantage and shouted fire at it and Teldryn went for a killing blow, she collapsed.

“Ro!” Brynjolf barked, skidding to a halt beside her in order to hoist her up into his lap, seeing her barely maintaining consciousness. He glanced over towards Teldryn to make sure the priest was dead, and upon seeing the mercenary watching them beside a pile of ashes, he turned his attention back to her. “Lass, stay with me!”

“Shoulda taken a cart,” she coughed. "Give me a few minutes, I'll be fine." 

Brynjolf forced a laugh. “Next time. If we find a caravan we’ll stay with them. I told you you couldn’t do this on your own.”

She reached up and patted his cheek. “You’re so smart, you know that? Why don’t I listen to you more often?”

“Because you're an arrogant fool,” Brynjolf replied, then glanced over, finally remembering the two missing parties from their group. “Hroar! Runa!” he looked frantically towards the tree that Rowena had ordered them to hide behind.  He sighed in relief when they peeked out from behind it, looking unharmed. “Get the potion in the big vial in your Ma’s pack- the red one!”

Hrorar scrambled for Shadowmere, got the intended potion then ran to him with it. “Is she gonna be okay?!”

Brynjolf glanced down to see if Rowena was still awake, onlyo to find that wasn’t the case. “I don’t know, Lad. Go-"

“Go by Shadowmere, son. Leave this one to the adults for a while,” Teldryn finished for him, walking up behind him. 

Hroar looked back at Runa, then to Teldryn and then Brynjolf. He gave a skeptical look to the latter.

Brynjolf nodded. “Do it, Lad. She’s in good hands, I promise." 

Hroar backed up quickly, looking back to watch as Brynjolf unstoppered the bottle and tipped it to Rowena’s lips.

Teldryn glanced at  Brynjolf. “You sure that’s not one of your _magical_ cures?”

Brynjolf shot him a look. “I wouldn't do that to her. And she told you about those, hm?”

“Delvin Mallory’s brother did,” Teldryn corrected. 

Brynjolf let himself wonder why Delvin had let that detail slip before he felt Rowena breathe heavily. “Lass?” he looked back down, to find that she was still out but her breathing had improved. He sighed and hoisted her onto his shoulder. “Come on. I don’t want the little one’s spooked. We’ll let the potions do the trick as we go.”

“Fair enough,” Teldryn replied. “Well, she was our navigator, so where are we going this time?”

“We’ll stick to the path,” Brynjolf replied. “And I’m sure we’ll find a homestead. Last I checked Ro has contacts in Ivarstead, so we’ll rest up there.”

“Ivarstead?”

Brynjolf glanced at him. “You’re more of a newcomer than I thought, then.”

Teldryn shrugged. “Last I checked being a tourist has no connection with being paid muscle.”

Brynjolf smirked, then arched an eyebrow. “Fair enough,” he echoed. “Look, Runa looks ready to cry, so we best get back to them before the waterworks start. I _hate_ when the waterworks start.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Within a few hours, Brynjolf was relieved to find that Rowena had come-to again after the latest spiel and looked more… alive then she had in the last few days. She was more alert, she was sitting up on Shadowmere, she even smiled every once in a while if a fox crossed their path and stopped to look at them before scurrying away. He had even noticed Teldryn seemed to relax upon her change as well. How was it that she could have so many people easily won over? 

A rustling came from the bushes. They readied their weapons and magic, and when a bear came charging through the greenery, they were all set to fight until a man came running after it, sword drawn with a battle cry to boot before it was him that killed it.

Teldryn practically growled from his spot behind the group and readied a fireball for the apparent bandit, until Rowena cut him off again.

“Farkas?!”

The bandit stopped and looked at her and the look of rage dropped and he honestly beamed. “Rowa?!”

“Fark!” Rowena repeated with a laugh. She practically swung herself off of her horse before hurrying over to hug the man.

Brynjolf was a third relieved, third pissed off, and a third confused. He liked Farkas; there was a certain charm that the man had that one couldn’t ignore, and Brynjolf had enjoyed his company during the brief matter of hours he had been with him when he and Rowena had to stop at Whiterun before heading to the Sanctum.  He had almost felt bad lying to the man about being a stall vendor. Almost. And now he had made Rowena laugh after not so much as smiling for days, which was music to his ears after trying and trying to dig her out. That being said, it wasn’t him or Delvin or even their latest companion who hadn’t gotten to that no matter how hard they tried. And what kind of nickname was _Rowa_? It made sense, but she was _Ro_. And only he and the rest of the Guild were allowed to call her that.

But alas, she didn’t sense his annoyance like she usually did. She just kept hugging the man, and after a few moments her grip loosened and it was like she was getting completely lost in it.

And then Hroar and Runa were next to their mother and Farkas, just as excited as she had been. They were both firing off question after question and trying to outdo each other with how much they had missed him.

Farkas, to his credit, merely laughed, ruffled their hair and asked how ‘You Pups’ had been. Once that was over with he nodded at Brynjolf, and when who he had been told was a Stall Merchant nodded in return, he glanced at Teldryn. He frowned and looked back at Rowena. “Who’s the one in the fancy armor?”

“A friend from Solstheim,” Rowena replied.

“Solstheim? What brought you there?!” Farkas asked.

“It’s a long story. Who are you travelling with?”

As if on cue, Ria came jogging from down the hill .”Farkas, where- Rowena!” she quickened her pace and all but tackled the woman into a hug. “Where have you been? It’s been months!” she pulled back, still holding her appointed best friend’s shoulders in a vicegrip.

“Around, and then Solstheim for a while. What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Hostage situation. You of all people should’ve seen that coming over here,” Ria pointed out, and then stopped to hug the children before noticing the two strangers, just as Farkas had. “Who’re Handsome Redhead and the walking mudcrab over there?”

Brynjolf snorted and for the first time hoped that Teldryn hadn’t actually had the helmet on, just to see  the other’s reaction before he mock bowed. “Brynjolf, at your service, lass. I’m a stall vendor in Riften. I must’ve missed you when we stopped by Jorvaskkr." He threw in a wink for good measure. 

“Must’ve,” Ria nodded, then looked at Teldryn expectantly. 

“Teldryn Sero, Mercenary,” the dark elf replied.

Brynjolf smirked. At least he was honest. He glanced at the Companions, surprised that they made no negative reaction at the mention of less-than-pleasant job.

Ria offered another smile before looking back at Rowena. "So, what has you doing this trip east? We really need to talk."

“I’m… … I need a long vacation, and these two have volunteered to escort me. Well, one did and the other’s along for the ride.”

Both men shrugged dismissively.

“Oh, what gentleman,” Ria teased. “And vacation? Why not stay with us?”

“A non-working vacation, Ria,” Rowena added. “It hasn’t exactly been a pleasant couple of weeks for me, and I just need time-“

“DRAGON!” Farkas suddenly barked, and Rowena out and out groaned when she watched the telltale shadow of the beast pass over them.

Brynjolf dismounted his horse and jabbed a finger at the nearest rock formation. “Hr-“

“We’re going!” the kids shouted over the dragon’s roar. It had spotted them. Great.

Brynjolf glanced at Rowena, going back to back with her as the two Companions scrambled for higher ground to get an advantage. “You think you’re up for this one again, Lass? The last one took a lot out of you.”

“It’s just the one, and no priest is in sight, Bryn. I’ll be fine, and if not… well, that’s why we have about thirty potions between us, right?” she countered, readying an arrow

“Not exactly the answer that I was going for, but it’ll do.”

“Fine then. I’ll go ensure we’ll be okay. Give me a second, and by all means: _don’t attack the red one_ ,”

“The red what?”

“O-DAH-VIING!” Rowena called. “Fark! Ria! Don’t attack the red one!” she called, seeing the pair still trying to make it up the hill. She turned her attention back to their attacker. It was gold. An elder. Great. She saw it prepare to breathe, and shoved Brynjolf out of the way. “Go, go, go!” she scrambled for ebony arrows and got one ready, fighting off the blast of cold that followed. She fired off three arrows and then rolled away. She sighed in relief when she heard Odahviing’s own roar in the distance.

“Ro…”

Rowena made what sounded like a forced laugh this time. “It’s okay, Bryn. This one’s with me.”

“I- what?”

And then the ground shakes because Odahviing dropped out of the sky to land in front of Rowena and was now snapping his jaws at the Elder dragon’s neck and blasting it with fire in turn.

She fired off a few more arrows, and between the fire, arrows and occasional sword hits that her companions were laying into it, the elder dragon let its final roar out before collapsing, dead.

Rowena sighed deeply, and then frowned when Odahviing craned his neck to look at her curiously before taking off. He had never done that before. Ever. Maybe he had sensed the earlier trouble. Damn. “Thank you!” she called after it, all the same.

“What was that? You’re friends with them, now?!" Brynjolf blurted as everyone started to regroup.

“Just that one,” she replied simply. “... And one that I can summon. Are all of you alright?”

“Aside from the fact I can’t wrap my head around you trusting a dragon and it helping you? Fine,” Teldryn replied.

Rowena looked at Ria and Farkas to find they looked just as confused as the other two. “I’ve called Odahviing when I was with you two!” she objected.

“Yeah, but… we’ve never… you’ve never actually managed to tell us not to go after him. It’s always lost in the wind or snow,” Farkas pointed out, and Ria nodded in agreement.

“Well, surprise,” Rowena countered, then frowned when she felt Brynjolf grab her shoulder in order to look her over. “I’m okay, Bryn. I told you I could handle one.”

“There’s a tear in your armor. Did you just…?”

“No, that happened with Miraak.” Rowena replied, and was fairly grateful that the comment shut Brynjolf up, until a new worry crossed his face.

“Gods, Lass. Did he… ? Because I’ll find a way to bring him back just to kill him if he did.”

“Wha- oh, no! No! I just…  monsters that pretty much had metal whips as appendages, and his sword was really…” she flinched, realizing that did nothing aside from making it sound like a creative way of saying what he was implying. “Short answer is no. It was just… cut. I was cut. I haven't been to a tailor recently to fix it.”

“Fine. But you’re fine otherwise? You’re not gonna pass out on us again, are you?”

Rowena glanced over at Hroar and Runa as they walked over, looking just as concerned. She took a few practice steps. “No, this time I think I’m good. That was nothing out of the norm. And I had us take the easy way out.”

“I’ll say,”

Rowena gave him a teasing shove that almost had him lunging to hug her in relief once again. She turned back to Ria and Farkas and tossed an arm around each of them, almost laughing at the awkward angle she ended up at in order to manage the height difference. “Are you guys still headed there? You need a rest? We’re headed to Ivarstead if you’d like to stay with us for the night.”

“No, gotta go to Riften, get the job done, then head right back,” Farkas replied, and Ria nodded. “We can count on you to visit though when you’re around Whiterun, right?”

“Do I ever pass all of you over?”

“We thought you did for a while there,” Ria pointed out.

“Well, I didn’t because I was across a body of water.  And don’t ever think that, you hear me?” Rowena countered playfully before pulling Ria into a hug. “We’ll be there soon. We have a couple of days to get home, and then I’ll stay for a bit and then hire a carriage out to see you. Deal?” she asked, moving onto Farkas, beaming and letting out a small squeak when he lifted her up into their hug.

“Deal,” the others chorused.

Farkas put Rowena down and turned to Brynjolf and Teldryn. “You take good care of ‘er or you’ll have to deal with me, you hear?”

“Loud and clear, Lad,” Brynjolf nodded.

“She’s clearly capable of holding her own, but if puts you at ease…” Teldryn shrugged.

The groups went their separate ways, and after a while, Brynjolf got his horse to catch up to Shadowmere from his spot in the back. “So… you and Farkas have gotten cozy,” he teased.

“That… would be one of my sister’s departments, not mine.”

“Well if I was- you have _sisters_? Why didn’t you tell me? I c-”

“Yes, and don’t you dare go anywhere near where I think you're going,”

Brynjolf smirked. “Wasn’t gonna,”

“Yes you were,”

Brynjolf shrugged. “Worth a shot,” he replied. “Soo, how many younger and impressionable ones run in your family?”

“Two others, one older. I’m the most gullible of them all, though, so you’re out of luck,” Rowena insisted. She leaned over and gave him a pat on the cheek before looking ahead at Hroar, Runa and Teldryn. “How are you three up there?”

“Fine!” Teldryn called back. “These two were just telling me about the adventures they had pretending they were all the Dragonborn ‘til you came along.”

“Oh? And how did Grelod take that?” Rowena asked.

“Not well, I imagine,” Brynjolf cut in.

“What Uncle Bryn said. She told us to stop, but we never did.”

“Then you were definitely makes you your Ma’s kids,” Brynjolf replied, chuckling when it earned a laugh from everyone else. “So, how far are we from Ivarstead, Lass?”

“Not far- shit,” Rowena cut herself off, and within seconds she had an arrow set up to fire and she let in fly. It zoomed past Teldryn’s shoulder and a matter of seconds later there was a pained grunt and part of the bushes on the horizon that had been level suddenly caved in. “Teld!”

“Far ahead of you,” Teldryn replied before dismounting and charging up the hill, starting up a couple of shock spells as he did so.

Rowena rode ahead a few feet and prepped another arrow, leaving Brynjolf to circle the group and wait, expecting an ambush.

There was more rustling and shouting until Teldryn came stumbling back onto the path, favoring his shoulder.

“Teld?” Rowena dismounted.

“Get back on. Trouble’s over. Five bandits- thought they stood a chance if they ran at me,” Teldryn replied.

“Your shoulder…” Rowena walked over and let her hand hover over his.

Brynjolf felt a pang of jealousy and looked away. It wasn’t the time.

“It’s fine. Just give me one of the potions,” Teldryn replied, then when she didn’t move he stepped away. “Well, go on. Standing there’s not going to do me any good!”

“Right, sorry,” Rowena deadpanned before going to retrieve the intended item and hurrying back with it. She uncorked it and handed it to him before smirking a bit.

Teldryn looked her up and down. “Yes, I know, you’re about to shatter the illusion and that’s such a perfect thing to do,” he deadpanned before  reaching up to unclasp his helmet. He took it off, gave his head and gave his head a good shake.

Brynjolf was honestly surprised that a dark elf was under the armor. Sure, he had never bought into the racism- every creature mer or human alike either fell into the ‘mark’ or ‘not mark’ category if he said so himself, but the man didn’t carry himself like an elf at all.

“Staring isn’t going to change anything, you know.” Teldryn pointed out before downing one of the potions.

Rowena coughed awkwardly, not having expected that reaction, and Brynjolf waved his arms. “No, that’s not- I don’t have a problem with you, Lad. You’re a decent one, a damned good fighter, and the boss likes you. That’s all that matters,” he replied, and when Teldryn shrugged and seemed to take that as an answer in his favor, Brynjolf gave Rowena a half-rough shove for her trouble. He was only moderately surprised when she shoved him right back.

They all waited a few moments before Brynjolf spoke up, trying to break the last bit of tension. “You get ‘em all Lad, or do we need to do more?” Hopefully toying with him would get things back to normal.

And it did. “Got them _all_ of course. Some of us do more than just circle the pack and try to look protective,”  Teldryn replied, and Brynjolf could hear the elf’s smirk.

“Well, I’m not leaving the kids alone, and not all of us can have Dragonborn strength or hyped up magic, now can we?” Brynjolf countered.

 “Boys...” Rowena insisted.

“Just a spot of fun to fix what trouble I started, Lass,” Brynjolf shrugged.

“Harmless,” Teldryn agreed.

Rowena smiled and shook her head. “Then come on. If there’s no trouble, we can probably make it to Ivarstead by sunset.”

“You sure we can manage that with you being you?” Brynjolf countered.

Rowena shrugged. “One way to find out,”

And so they were on their way again.

But as per usual, Brynjolf was right in all the wrong ways. They had just made it into the city limits when Teldryn heard something and hopped off of his horse again. Brynjolf had his horse stop. “No, I heard it- something about-“

“Cats and rats,” Rowena replied, and when Brynjolf glanced at her to nod, she was paler than usual.

“Lass, what-“

“Bryn, get the kids, get in the first building on the left and don’t come out until I come and find me, you got it? I need to go make sure Teldryn isn’t about to get himself killed.”

“Ro-“

“An… acquaintance. A  _mentally unstable_ acquaintance," Rowena replied.

“Brotherhood?” Brynjolf asked.

“Ask later, check in now. Go. Go go go, all of you,” Rowena insisted, hopping off of her horse, making sure Hroar and Runa dismounted and Brynjolf herded them off.

Rowena pulled Chillrend out from its sheath and followed the singing for a few yards until she spotted a few fireballs blasting to the left, heading for a spot where maniacal laughter was coming from. She swore and charged for the center of the field where the two would undoubtedly meet shortly. She made it and tossed up twin wards, just as the two others reached the spot.

“Rowena…!” Teldryn warned, launching another fireball at the blur of black and orange trying to fight its way through the ward.

“Both of you stop!” Rowena called, and when that didn’t stop the blur, she sighed. “FUS RO!” and the blur went flying back a few feet.

Teldryn watched it hit the ground and then watched as it took a distinctively jester-like shape. “I suppose you’re friends with him, then?”

“Shhh!” Rowena hissed.

The jester all but roared and got up, but upon seeing Rowena stopped short. “Oooooh! Listener! Cicero has wondered when you would return!” he clapped, then scowled. “But why are you  protecting this filthy, filthy cheat?!” he prepared to lunge again, but another half of a shout stopped him.

“Because he is my friend, and he’s not to be harmed by you or any of the rest of our organization, understand?” she demanded and sighed heavily, figuring the threat was over. “Teldryn, for your own sake, get a drink with Bryn. I have to see what business he’s attending to.”

“But-“

“Just do it,”

“I’m not leaving you with this _madman_ -“

“He’s… I know him.”

“And that’s the deciding factor of leaving you alone?”

“As my hireling, leave now.”

Teldryn looked between the two before heaving a dramatic sigh. “ Just… _shout_ if you need us.”

“Mm-hm,” Rowena nodded before turning back to the latest arrival. "Now, Cicero. What in.. the Night Mother's name are you doing here?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Brynjolf stilled his hand as he reached for his dagger for the fourth time in a matter of minutes. He huffed in annoyance. He knew if it was Delvin had been in his company the other man would’ve been laughing his ass off had he seen him. He needed to stop. He had lost sight of Rowena and the clown minutes ago, and judging by the amount of noise the latter her associate was making he was worried for her safety. But she was the Dragoborn- an apparently near-fully emotionally recovered Dragonborn at that. She was fine on her own. She didn’t need him for anything. So what the Hell was he doing there now? Part of him questioned, but he shook it off. That, of course, all stopped when Rowena came storming back into the Inn.

Both men shot upright, ready for a fight.

“Easy, boys. No trouble yet, but… Ooooh, there will be. We need to get out of here… now,”  she insisted, then looked at the innkeeper. “Hey Wilhlelm, can we buy some food off of you?”

“For you, Dragonborn? It’s on the house! Take what you need and it’s yours,” Wilhelm called.

Rowena moved over to the corner table piled high with food and started shoving what she could in another bag she had picked up.

“Trouble, Lass? Where’s your friend?” Brynjolf asked.

“He’s… gone to handle something I asked of him. I- get away from the window,” she tugged his arm to pull him aside. “Teld, come here.”

Teldryn made his way over. “I suppose you’re going to tell us what’s-“

“There’s a contract out on us- as in Bryn here and I.”

Brynjolf crossed his arms over his chest. “From who? And Delvin told me lore goes that the Listener’s the only one-“

“Apparently the Night Mother got impatient with me out on leave for a while and has found herself a new Listener,” Rowena replied, stopping to retrieve a dagger from her belt before sitting down.

“You’re the Listener of the Brotherhood?!” Teldryn hissed.

Rowena glared at him. “Yes- I- well, I’m not proud of it. But I haven’t done anything with it in ages and I thought that could mean the end of all the killings, but apparently not.”

“But the contract’s out on _just us_ , Lass? Who did it?” Brynjolf asked.

“It’s the entire Guild they’re after, and… well, Maven.”

“… What?” Brynjolf hissed. “You can’t possibly-“

“She bought her way into being a Jarl and now she’s… apparently cleaning up the loose ends that make her look bad,” Rowena replied.  “Those loose ends being us, obviously.”

“And how do you know this if there’s a new Listener about?” Teldryn asked.

“How are you taking the news so well?” Rowena countered.

“Remember the sod I told you about who turned on me?” Teldryn asked. “He _was_ part of the Brotherhood as well, and  quite enjoyed being part of that. As I said, he paid well, so I learned to handle it. You’re of the decent sort for me not to hold it against you, though.”

“Fair enough.”

“How did you get all that from the clown?” Brynjolf asked.

“Well, he apparently knows all those details without really processing the new Listener bit.  If you knew how his mind is you’d get it.”

“And how long is he going to be oblivious?” Brynjolf continued. “And how long will it take before he puts that you’ve been replaced together?”

“I have no idea, but we need to get out of here because apparently the new guy’s on his way her, and recruits are on their way to Riften. I think… I should have the three most important one’s loyalties behind me, so we’ll see.”

“I’ll go to Riften to cut them off… and down, if you catch my drift,” Teldryn volunteered. “If I’m not the one in danger I’ll get there faster. Glover’s told me enough to get me into the place to warn your people.”

Rowena looked at him. “Are you sure…? Do you remember the way?”

“I just need to make some coin to hire a carriage if worse comes to worse. Besides, if there’s a contract out on you and your friends, you going to warn them would just bring an army ‘round, wouldn’t it?” Teldryn replied. “Do you want me to take the little ones?”

“… You know, that may work. Bring them to Balimund. He… _might_ understand, and they’ll be safe there. He’s another favorite uncle,” Rowena nodded. “Or if Farkas and Ria- the ones we met before are still there, leave Hroar and Runa with them. I trust Balimund with my life, but…”

“Understood.  Go say goodbye, and try to assure them they can trust me,” Teldryn offered.

Rowena hesitated, then nodded and walked into their room.

Brynjolf turned to look at him. “You gonna be alright on your own, Lad?”

“I’ll be fine. I doubt her friends- well, _enemies_ I suppose are going to try to murder children who aren’t apparently with her,” Teldryn replied. “So who’s this Maven? You hardly seem surprised she’s trying to kill you.”

“I’m not. She was… a boss of sorts. Called the shots a lot ‘cause she was the only one hiring us for a spell ‘til our lass came along. She’s dangerous- devious too, so that’s why.”

Teldryn nodded. “Well, sounds like you’ll need the luck and blessings, hm?”

“With the Dragonborn on my side? Ha! I don’t need anything. I’m all set. You, on the other hand…” Brynjolf replied. “You want a couple of extra weapons?”

“No. I’ll summon something if anything goes wrong to find you or get an advantage over trouble. The kids’ll be fine. You have my word.” 

Brynjolf nodded, then glanced over when Rowena came back with Hroar and Runa came back. “So, you two will be good for Teldryn, huh?”

“Ma already made us promise,” Hroar replied with an eyeroll.

“Then be twice as good,” Brynjolf shot back before patting them both on the head. “Go on, now.”

The kids scurried out of the inn and Teldryn followed, starting up a spell just as he crossed the threshold.

Rowena sighed heavily once the door shut. She turned and led Brynjolf back into their room. She started gathering her things and slipped a dagger inside her boot. “You know, Bryn, I never got to thank you for helping me out with this.”

“You were recovering from dying, Ro. I wasn’t looking for thanks. I’d do it anyway. And you know that, so why-“

“Just in case this’ll end badly…”

“Lass... _Lass_ ,” he insisted, then took hold of her shoulders. “You’ve survived worse. You just survived worse. If there’s a new Listener, you’re the Dragonborn-Listener-Nightingale-Companion-Archmage. You’ve got them all under your belt. The newcomer doesn’t stand a chance. Right? Enough of this.” He leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “So are we gonna stick around and do your favorite thing and spring an impending trap, or are we gonna run?”

“We’re gonna run for now, see if we can dig up more information, and then we can spring the trap when people I care about don’t get caught in the crossfire.”

“And is the clown gonna tell you anything?”

“No, but I need to get to Falkreath…” She paused, and smiled weakly when he arched an eyebrow and she shrugged. “It’s… going into the belly of the beast with the Brotherhood, but… I think I can trust the last two that will be there. They’re traditionalists, to say the least. I need to plant something on him… tell the others to get to Falkreath…”

Brynjolf nodded slowly, considering everything. “Is your friend gonna make it back with all that in mind then? It sounds like he has his work cut out for him.”

“Oh, no doubt. He’s the best fighter I know.”

“Are you sure you can plant it?”

Rowena cracked a teasing smile. “Are you doubting my abilities, Two?”

“Not at all, One,” Brynjolf countered.

Rowena cracked a smile, then nodded at the supplies. “Go get some of those. I’ll meet you outside. Just… be ready just in case.”

“Will do. Careful,” Brynjolf nodded.

Rowena watched him leave, waited a few moments, then got paper and a quill to scrawl a note to Nazir and Babette before heading out.  She made it outside and saw Cicero finishing off some poor, unfortunate goat.  She wandered over. “Cicero!”

The jester hopped over and Rowena’s stomach turned when the goat’s head hit the ground with a wet thump. “Listener! You’ve returned! Let’s go take someone out for Mother!” he skipped around and clapped.

Rowena sighed and moved closer to him carefully. “Cicero, listen to me. I need you to go home and see to the others… and bring me supplies. I’ll be in the Falkreath Sanctuary when you return, understood?” she patted his shoulder and slipped the note into his hood in the process.

“Oh, anything for the Listener! Yes, yes, yes!”

“Go now,” Rowena insisted, and he hurried off without another word. She sighed and turned back to the inn, then over to where Shadowmere remained. She fought a laugh. Teldryn was smart. He had taken all of the horses except the most conspicuous horse. She picked some tall grass from beside her and wandered over, offering it. When the horse took it and started eating, she gave his neck a pat. “Hey, boy. Hey. You wanna meet us at home? Home? You remember the place, don’t you? That big lake, all that space for you to run? Home,” she insisted. It was a long shot, but she knew there was something magical about the horse that made it smarter than any of the rest. She had attempted to condition him to know ‘home’ as Lakeview, so this was the test. Then again, he was strong enough to hold his own and he always stuck to the path, so he’d get to Riverwood eventually, and enough of the townsfolk knew him and could take him in. “Home,” she repeated, firmer this time, and hit it in the flank.

It tossed its head before trotting off down the road.

Rowena watched him go, then smiled and gave Brynjolf a small wave when he came out. “You ready?”

“Are you?” Brynjolf countered.

“Born ready, more or less,” Rowena replied. “You might want to see if you can break into someone’s closet and see if you can get an extra fur or two. We’re taking a shortcut over the mountains.”

“We’re Nords, Lass. Besides, who am I to say anything? I love the snow.”

* * *

 

“I hate snow,” Brynjolf hissed, squinting against the snowflakes attempting to get into his eyes.

Rowena laughed from her spot a couple of feet above him. She looked down. “What happened to loving it an hour ago?”

“It’s the cold that gets me, Lass, company and… present view of a certain posterior, on the other hand, I’m not exactly minding…”

Rowena let out a mock-insulted gasp and went to kick him lightly, only to have him grab her calf and pull her back down to the part of the rockface he was on. She recovered and turned sharply, rolling her eyes when he boxed her in with his arms.  “Really?”

“You know I play dirty by now.”

“Oh, right, because revenge for that is totally all that this is about,” Rowena motioned at his arms.

Brynjolf leaned forward. “Just thinking, Lass. I do seem to remember a certain conversation about _us_ and your retirement…and, well, there’s that… and the fact that I almost lost you… and we have an assassin who’s your replacement after us…”

“You _would_ start this conversation on a _cliff_ so I would have no way out, wouldn’t you? Some idea of romance. Do you expect I owe you anything?” Rowena countered, but there was a genuine smile on her face.

“Now I know you think I’m far too much of a gentleman to think that. Not to mention I’m fully aware you can tear me to pieces if I try.”

“And so you’re gonna try all the same?”

“ ‘Course. Just not the way you’re looking at it.”

“Bryn…”

“Ro,” Brynjolf insisted, more forceful this time around. When she made no response, he bowed and moved in for a kiss. When she moved into it he dropped one of his hands to her waist and went in to complete his task, only to dart sideways when there was sound of iron pinging off the rock beside them.  “Every time.  Draugr, Dwemer, Bandits… we can’t have peace. Where are the bastards?!” he hissed, moving so Rowena could scramble upward once they realized the arrow had come from overhead.

“Shit. Bandits must’ve taken Helgen. We have to get them before they follow us back.”

“The birds we spooked must’ve tipped ‘em- Ro!” Bryjolf cut himself off when he watched her vault herself over the highest point on the rockface they were on that would’ve sent her on her way back down, and right into the bandit den. “Damn it, Lass!” He hurried to catch up, and when he made it through the city gates, all he could hear was shouting and he couldn’t make any specific ones out. He couldn’t make hers out. He swore again and turned one corner, only to get cornered by two bandits. He brandished his second dagger and got them taken care of. He moved on, then spotted Rowena digging an arrow out of one of the bastard’s backs. “That all of ‘em?”

“Give me a minute and we’ll see,” she fired off another spell and within a few seconds, she nodded again. “We’re good. It’s a short distance from here. We can make it in under an hour…”

Brynjolf smiled weakly and looked around to confirm that they were alone. Satisfied they were, he motioned at the path across from them in order for her to lead out. “Ready to be home?” he asked.

“You have no idea.”

“Oh, I think I do,”

“Fair enough,” Rowena smiled. “Look, we’ll get home, regroup, get a plan to get whoever’s hunting us, and then we’ll talk about… that.”

“Well, keep in mind now you owe me one.”

“And now you’re playing that game.  I should be less surprised.”

“Can’t blame a man for trying.”

“Oh, yes I can,”

“Can’t,”

“Remember when you made the point that I can shout you to death a few minutes ago…?”

“… Point taken.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I should've mentioned that Lakeview is in one of the DLCs, but you could've roughly gotten away with not knowing it if you didn't. That being said, if you don't recognize Celann's name, he's another in the DLC, so sooommme familiarity with him might be nice, but it's not needed.

Rowena was relieved when Lakeview Manor finally came into view after what felt like ever on the last leg. She had gone the whole way before, but this was needed and she had come a long way, so it was worth it. She let out a weak laugh, more so when Brynjolf gave her a hard pat on the back in encouragement. But it didn’t last long when they got closer.

Like what seemed like everything as of late, she sensed something was wrong. It was too quiet. Usually the birds were chirping away and you could hear Celann working on the forge, or practicing archery, or something, but it was dead silent. She huffed and chose to use her sword this time. “Brynjolf, something’s wrong…”

“When isn’t it lately?” Brynjolf countered. “Split up?” he suggested.

“Not a damn chance,” she replied. “Celann?! Celann!” she called again. Nothing. Her heart skipped a beat. Her sisters were supposed to show up that week. No sisters, no steward…. She made quick work of going up the hill to check the front entry. She swallowed hard when the front door opened with a light push. She looked at Brynjolf, who gave a curt nod. She turned back and opened the door, pausing a moment before launching herself into the room. No one was there. She moved on, and Brynjolf followed before reaching the trophy room.

“Was I robbed?” Rowena called from the kitchen.

“Not that I can see, Lass, unless they’re better than all of us combined. But, that leaves the upstairs and basement.”

“Great. Look, I don’t think it’s smart if we- CELANN!” Rowena’s voice broke upon turning to see her friend’s body crumpled on the floor, all but drenched in blood. “Brynjolf, help! Get me the potion bag!” She turned Celann’s body carefully, then let out a half shriek, half sob upon seeing him cough, apparently alive, but just barely, since there   were two giant gashes on his neck that most of the blood was coming from and several more on his chest.  Without even thinking she started a healing spell, working on the gashes and the less-prominent ones across his chest. They started working slowly. “Come on, come on, come on!”

Celann went to say something, only to choke.

Rowena reached up and took his hand. “It’s… it’s okay. It’s okay, we’re gonna take care of you, you hear me? You’re gonna be okay, just stay with me a little…”

She felt Brynjolf come up behind her and nudge her out of the way in order to dump most of the contents of a health potion down the man’s throat.

The healing process went faster and Rowena stopped her own spell. “Cel, are my sisters here? Are they hurt?”

Celann only managed to point at the hatch to the basement.

Rowena swallowed hard again, but visibly relaxed when she saw the gashes on his chest fully close up and the ones on his neck get thinner. “Bryn, can you… I don’t know, I can’t-“

“I need their  names just in case they think I'm the one who did this and try and do something about it," Brynjolf replied. 

“Farowyn and Callista. Go, please,” Rowena replied. She went to turn and give him a pleading look, but found he was almost already halfway to the hatch. She turned back to find the last of the health potion doing its trick.

Within another few moments, Celann let out a weak groan and half curled in on himself, half turned to rest his forehead against Rowena’s knee. “Thank you. You got here just in time… and just missed them.”

“Who?” Rowena asked.

“Vampires...” Celann forced out. “Came looking for you…they weren’t expecting us... to be here, but... they might be after your blood...  your sisters... basement... should be okay…”

“Take it easy. It’s okay. You're safe now," Rowena assured him. 

“Go to them. I’m… fine... now,” Celann croaked.

Rowena dug out a cure disease potion from the bag and handed it over. “Here, just in case. Last time I dealt with vampires I…”

Celann took it and downed it, knowing full well what the next thing out of her mouth could've been, then pointed at the hatch.

Rowena stood up, only to hear a crash from the basement. She huffed and ran over to the hatch and opened it, sliding down the ladder. She jumped off, just in time to see Brynjolf get tackled by someone who was completely shadowed. “Bryn! FUS!”

The figure blasted backwards, and when it hit the wall, Rowena frowned when she recognized the grunt, and then the face. “… Ralof?!”

Now that got Brynjolf’s attention. He looked over to his attacker and full on groaned. “Oh, I’m going to _kill_ Del…” he growled before walking behind Rowena.

Rowena paid no attention to him. She walked over to Ralof and immediately tossed her arms around him. “I thought you were dead! Gods, there were rumors after the Imperials… and I kept on coming back to Riverwood and you were never there and-“

“Me? Dead? Thought we’d been over this. It won’t happen for some time. Your sisters are blockaded in the other room, by the way. Had to do something,” the Stormcloak replied, then looked at Brynjolf. “Didn’t realize it was you, Brother.  You should’ve said something,” he pointed out, but the other two could tell he was hardly apologetic.

“I did say something…” Brynjolf deadpanned.

“Stop it, Bryn. I-“

“ROWENA!”

Rowena turned sharply, only to get tackled by two figures. It didn’t take her long to figure out who, immediately embracing her sisters. “Are both of you okay? How many vampires were there?”

“I counted five. But… your friend… he was alone…”

“I got him… almost lost him- woulda lost him if we got here later than we did, but…” Rowena explained.

“Then thank the gods you got here,” Ralof replied solemnly, then grinned. “Does being a life saver ever get old, Ro?”

Rowena chuckled, pretending to miss Brynjolf’s head snapping in the other man’s direction and sending him a death glare. She wondered what the Hell the two of them had against each other. “Not quite yet, but it’s getting there.”

“And who’s your friend?” one of the women asked.

Rowena arched an eyebrow when the asker looked over her shoulder. She was only slightly surprised to find Brynjolf had planted himself right behind her with barely a foot of space between them. “Brynjolf, my sisters Farowyn and Calllista, Cal, Fara, my associate Bryn.”

Brynjolf looked from Ralof to the women and beamed before walking over to them. “A pleasure,” he mock bowed, offering both of them a kiss on the hand for good measure.

Rowena pulled him back. “Down, boy…” she pushed him aside gently. “You two might want to see if you still have your rings on, by the way. He’s a tricky one.”

“With friends of the boss? I would never!” Brynjolf countered.

The older blonde, Farowyn, frowned at him. “Boss? Which one are you from?”

“He’s Thieves Guild, Far. Questionable legality, but no death," Rowena replied.

“Unless you’re Haelga…” Brynjolf deadpanned, but still looked away teasingly when she turned to him.

Rowena clenched her jaw and looked at him. “What’s it going to take for you to accept that I'm telling the truth when I tell you she _accidentally_ ran into my dagger when she tried to escape."

Her sisters merely blinked at her.

Rowena huffed in annoyance. “Alright, everyone go back up. I knew retirement was too good to be true. Now we need to go get some vengeance on the damn vampires, we have assassins after us, I have smaller to-do lists for friends…”

“Uh, that’s not all quite yet, Rowena…”

She blinked at looked at the hatch. “Cel?”

Celann showed up at the ladder and hopped the last couple of spokes, wincing as he did so. “I overheard them talking before they found me. They’re headed to Riverwood-“

Before he could even finish, Rowena and Ralof looked at each other before both heading for her armory in the corner. Rowena took a bunch of enchanted weapons, weighing a few in her hands before passing a mace to Ralof. “Here,”

“Feels a might bit… evil, no?” Ralof asked, giving it an experimental swing.

“Then here,” she took back the mace, realized she had given him Molag Bal's trophy and pried a war axe off the wall and tossed it at him.

He caught it. “The Axe of Whiterun? Fitting.”

“Mm hm,” Rowena tossed a couple of smaller weapons to him before heading back to the ladder. Ralof led the way.

“Lass…” Brynjolf began.

“Stay here,” Rowena deadpanned.

“And leave you two to go into a den of vampires or something? No!”

“Brynjolf, listen to me,” Rowena insisted, stopping to cup his face in her hands. “The vampires have come back tenfold for a small while now, and I need to fix that. I need to stop them because I helped in getting them back in-“

“It’s apparently an army going there, Lass. I don't-”

“And right now the people who I care about who I know I can protect are right here. My blood family is here, and Celann’s still hurting. You might not be happy to hear it or admit it, but Ralof’s the better fighter out of the two of us. But right now, you’re the only one I trust to take care of them right now. I need you here, so please, stay. No arguing.”

“B-“

“Look, I was fine before you decided to be my shadow, I’ll be fine now!” Rowena snapped, and when Bryjolf flinched, her heart sunk. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. I just… Riverwood…”

Brynjolf offered a weak smile. “I know, Rowena. You do what you have to do, then. You have my word, I’ll stay with them and make sure nothing goes wrong. You’ve got my word.”

Rowena smiled weakly before leaning up to kiss him on the cheek before hurrying up the ladder once again.

* * *

 

The run to Riverwood had been a dead silent one, but the pair of them expected nothing less. They were focused on one thing, and with every passing moment they felt impending dread.

Once they finally got close, their hearts sunk when they heard screaming and the sound of weapons clanging coming from the town.

Rowena spotted the telltale blurs of vampire movement in the distance. “No, no, no…!” she sped up to a full-on charge and Ralof followed suit.

When they got closer, she fired off an arrow, falling one vampire and managed to pick off another before the ten or so others and their hounds realized they had new challengers.

They ran the rest of the way into the town and caught mere glimpses of the town before vampires came after them. Blood was everywhere.

Townspeople were screaming. Deathhounds and Stump were all growling from places that neither could pick up.  The two nords threw themselves into the fight, both taking about three vampires at once, trying to get any possible stray attack to hit one of the hounds around them.

Rowena was overcome within seconds. It’s like they knew she was itching for a fight and she was the strongest competitor. After a while she was getting more and more tired and the creatures just kept coming. She broke and felt overwhelmed, dropping in order to call out, _“HUN KAAL ZOOR!” ._ The telltale blue blur of help from the other side showed up and she threw herself back in, beheading the vampire closest to her before shoving another away in order to send an arrow through its eye.

She saw Alvor cut one of the last couple of them down out of the corner of her eye and took on another one before the excitement stopped.

But then the real damage set in and Rowena stopped to observe the damage and she broke all over again.

Alvor was injured. There were bodies scattered. She couldn’t even tell who one was, but then there was Sigrid, Faendal… she looked around more, tears already starting up again upon seeing the others. “Oh Gods… Lucan…” she knelt down to check if there was any ounce of life back in him, and she had to struggle with the amount of blood on him to check, only to find nothing. She was too late. She was too late for all of them.

“Rowena…”

Rowena flinched. Alvor. “How many…? Who…?” she asked weakly.

“Five… Lucan here, Faendal, Hilde, Ogmar… … and Sigrid…”

She froze. “Sig… Oh, no. No, no no, Alvor, I’m so sorry…” Rowena breathed.

Alvor nodded solemnly.

Rowena turned back around, trying to look anywhere but places that had been destroyed in the attack, but there was little to nothing. So much blood. So much.

 _This is your fault,_ a part of her she thought was long gone spoke up from the back of her mind. _They were after you. They’re always after you, and they knew._ Shut up _._ They would’ve killed anyone. _Really? That’s not how you really see it_. Her stomach turned again and she let out a weak moan. “I… I need to…” she choked and got up without another word, heading for the hill that she had first seen the town on. She needed to get away before more things went wrong, or the vampires came back again. She needed to find Serana again and deal with Harkon.

 _And you know who can help you with that,_ that same part of her sing-songed.

She needed to get away from that, too. But then the grief flooded her again. Lucan was a friend. Sigrid was a friend. Hilde- well, was about as far from a friend as possible, but even she didn’t deserve to die that way.

_It’s your fault._

She ran before she was even aware she was moving, and made it to the hill, where she broke down finally, letting the sobs come again. She was never this weak before, why did she start now? Had the Miraak situation really done all that to her? Was that all she could think of when people died and it was the vampires that were after her and Serana that caused it?

“STOP!” She yelled, and then shook her head upon realizing she had even said it out loud. Oh, Teldryn would’ve had a field day with that one.

And there it was, joking again at the worst time. The tightness in her throat came back and she failed to fight the tears again. She looked down at the city. Smoke was still rising from the part of the Inn that had taken most of the damage, and ooh, she could see some of the blood from her spot. She prayed it wasn’t any of her now-late friends. The thought alone set her off again and she squeezed her eyes shut, finally letting the tears come. She was guilty. She was guilty, there were losses and she was damn entitled to feeling them.

A few minutes later, someone touched her shoulder and sat beside her, thigh to thigh, but she knew who it was without having to look. “I failed them, Bryn. A third of that town is gone because of a threat I helped create and I couldn’t get there in time to help them. They’re dead. Those… I caused them… there are two kids who lost parents today…”

Brynjolf frowned at her. “Ah, Ro, I’m sorry…” He hesitated, then pulled her against him, and she all but collapsed into him, losing some of the control of her sobs that had started the second he touched her. “You did all you could’ve.”

“How? How, when I failed them? I went in such a rush that… I could’ve taken Shadowmere and gotten there faster, or I could’ve skipped that one time I slowed to catch my breath, or-“

“But you didn’t, you can’t help that, and you did all you can.”

“You weren’t  there.”

“I _know you_ ,” Brynjolf countered. “A third’s better than half or the entire thing, Lass. And if they don’t know that then there’s something wrong.”

“But… I never… I’ve always…”

“Sometimes people mess up, Ro. Sometimes… sometimes there are odds you can’t beat. This is one of them.”

“A third of a town doesn’t usually get murdered when I mess up,” Rowena replied.

“Don’t think that way,” Brynjolf replied, pulling her closer and she nuzzled closer to him.

Rowena paused and shook her head before wiping her eyes. “I thought I told you to stay-“

“Coming here in the first place was their idea. They were worried about you… and I’m glad they did.”

“Where are…?”

“They went to check on Carilla-“

“Ca _m_ illa.”

“Camilla. I saw you up here and had to come.”

Someone cleared their throat behind them and they turned their heads to see Ralof looking at them from a few feet away.

“Hey…” Rowena greeted weakly. The pair untangled themselves from each other and  walked over to him. She was the first to reach him. “Ralof, I’m so sorry.”

Even Brynjolf offered an apologetic nod.

Ralof nodded back to both of them, then focused on his friend. "We don't blame you. How could you have known?" he shook his head dismissively. "I came to check on you. I have to get back to Hod and Gerdur." 

“They’re okay?” Rowena risked a momentary smile.

“Shaken and a bit scratched up, but they’re fine, considering…” Ralof replied, and then smiled weakly. "And they're okay thanks to you."

Rowena risked a relieved sigh. “That’s good, but… for those with people who didn’t make it… I don’t think I’m exactly wanted…”

Ralof pointed at the other man. “Your friend here said a third’s better than half- that’s where I came in- he’s right. It’s not your fault.”

“Doesn’t change the fact it feels like it.”

“Then come help us with… … cleaning things up,” Ralof offered.

“Not doing it may make you look bad… or worse by your standards, Lass,” Brynjolf cut in, and Ralof nodded in agreement.

The Stormcloak nodded back down the hill. “Come on, then…”

Rowena looked at Brynjolf, who offered a weak smile of his own before nudging her back with his fingertips. “Fine… let’s go.”

* * *

 

Brynjolf looked around the Inn, watching several of the townsfolk file in and out, either getting one of the health and cure disease potions that Farowyn and Callista had set up, or having quiet, hushed conversations with each other. He had tried to stay out of the way as much as possible, taking over distributing food and water with Gerdur once the pair had been introduced. He smiled weakly when he saw Farowyn and Callista walking over. He nodded a greeting, and they returned it.

“We wanted to thank you for looking after Rowena lately… and just now, finding her when we… weren’t at all ready to deal with seeing… all that," Calista replied. "The Dragonborn must be a lot to handle."

“She is, but I wouldn’t miss doing that for the world.”

“So… forgive the timing, but… are you two an item?” Farowyn asked.

Brynjolf shrugged. “That, I’m afraid, is up to your sister,” he replied, then spotted Rowena come out of one of the rooms with Frodnar, who had clearly been crying. Stump was limping behind them, licking Frodnar’s hand occasionally. “Speaking of…” He offered the woman water, but she took the mead to his right and started to down it. He glanced at her sisters, who looked just as uncertain as he did. “Lass…” he managed to take it from her, used his other hand to push her back, and locked his elbow for good measure. “You’re _not_ doing that.”

“It was for the road,” Rowena replied before turning and practically marching for the door.

“Ro!” Brynjolf went to follow her, then stopped and turned to the two blondes. “You gonna be okay on your own? Can you serve as… I don’t know, delegate for her?”

“You keep an eye on her and keep her safe, we’ll make sure people know that she tried and all that. Her reputation’ll stay intact, don’t worry,” Farowyn replied.

Brynjolf nodded before jogging out. It didn’t take him long to catch up with Rowena. “So where are we headed?”

“We’re not headed anywhere. You volunteered to get me from Riften to Lakeview, you leave.”

“Since when’s that stopped me?” Brynjolf asked.

Rowena frowned, but Brynjolf caught residual anger in there, too. He would never understand her stages of grief. “Fine, two rules, though- one, really- two parts: if my people start talking a lot about Harkon and then get ready for a fight, you stay put. You don’t sneak your way in, you don’t let yourself get manipulated into following me, you stay in camp and you wait until you get news of what happened. Part two, same thing, but even before that- if I tell you to run, if I tell you to leave wherever we are, if I tell you to hide, you do it. No arguing, no charming, no nothing.”

“Deal, Boss,” Brynjolf smirked. “Now, where are we headed?”

“To see one of _their_ kind and a redguard about bringing some vengeance.” 


	6. Chapter 6

Brynjolf looked uncertainly at the giant rock door ahead of them, trying not to mind the giant skull on it that he truly couldn’t ignore. He looked at Rowena, even more in a panic then he was before. On the way he had tried everything to get her out of her angry haze- giving her a pep talk, joking about going after one of her sisters if they didn’t work out, asking what the plan was, but she was totally gone, and that had scared him near senseless… or, close to senseless, because the feeling he got around the door was coming up close on that feeling. “And… this is normal for you?”

“You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to,” Rowena deadpanned. “Vilkas refused to come in, too.”

“Vil… the werewolf’s brother? The Companions know about… this?”

“They appreciated me wanting to turn my life around,” she replied, moving forward when the door opened.

Brynjolf watched her advance, and then inhaled sharply. Superstition had to stop somewhere. He hurried after her, then descended the staircase with her, feeling his heart skip a beat when he saw her notch an arrow on the bow she had drawn. He swallowed hard, then froze again when he saw a charred body at the base of the steps. “… … Ro?”

“We couldn’t… … our lives were in danger and no one wanted to deal with cleaning up,” she replied without so much as looking back at him. “Now shut up.”

He reluctantly obeyed and followed her into the main hall. He was about to break and say something when he felt his head get yanked back and suddenly there was a dagger at his throat and a couple of more pointed things on the other side.

“BRYNJOLF!” Rowena turned sharply.

Brynjolf would’ve been relieved to see that the look of fear told him that he hadn’t entirely lost her to anger, but there was still the fact someone had multiple weapons trained on him.

 “Listener…?”

Brynjolf paused at the newcomer’s voice. A little girl- but then how did a child know that she was the Listener? He risked a glance to the side. It was a little girl. What in Oblivion was going on? He looked at Rowena, who hardly seemed surprised, but there was still that fear in her eyes and the arrow was still trained on the girl.

“Babette, leave him alone. You have a contract on the Guild, the Guild will just as well die if I’m gone. Leave him out,” Rowena replied.

Brynjolf felt the main pressure on his neck ease a bit. “In the habit of befriending homicidal children now, Lass?” the dagger bit into his skin again and he saw Rowena move forward and her shooting finger twitched. “Okay, okay, I’m shutting up,” he told the girl.

“Good.  And before you go wise-cracking your way out of danger again, learn the facts. I’m not the child here, you are.”

Brynjolf flinched. Vampire. Right. _Damn._

Babette continued. “I figured the Listener’s friends would talk too much. And Listener- or… Former Listener, the price on both of your heads is equal. Rumor has it that you two make quite the team running your Guild.”

Rowena looked like she was going to be sick.

“And this one… Thieves Guild… same armor… rumor travels fast… he’s one of your Nightingales, too…  that may even fetch a better price to other groups…”

Brynjolf squirmed when he felt the two prongs that weren’t the dagger dig into his neck. So this was it, then.

“Babette, please…” Rowena breathed. Her fingers grazed the bowstring hesitantly. Nothing.

Another person joined them, but Brynjolf didn’t risk looking. “Leave her friend be, Babette. We’ve discussed this. We’re better off with them than without.”

The girl sighed dramatically. “Fine. It would’ve been a dreadfully easy kill anyway.”

Brynjolf felt both pressures leave him completely and admittedly had a hard time keeping upright. Within a few seconds, Rowena had closed the gap between them, back to chest with him. She had yet to stop drawing on the two though. Brynjolf looked at the newcomer. Imperial- looked smug as could be, but being that he had probably just saved his life, he was willing to go on faith.

“Put the bow away, Listener. You’re safe here,” the Imperial insisted. “Where we are considered, anyway. Not sure about the other recruits, though.”

“I think you’ll understand if I don’t exactly do that just yet, Nazir,”  Rowena replied.

Nazir shrugged. “Then why did you come by if you expected a fight?”

“I didn’t expect one. It was a precaution.  Granted I wasn’t exactly expecting help without trouble, either,” Rowena countered.

“Why are you here?” he repeated.

“Two things- one, I need help- you can call it a contract… a contract I’m going to help with. And two, I need to know everything about this new Listener.”

“Are you going to kill him?” Babette asked.

“Only if he tries to kill me first,” Rowena replied.

“Well, let’s hear the contract… and… to be honest, Listener- we still call you Listener because you still are our Listener, despite the new one. Call us loyalists… traditionalists, but we do not follow the new one.”

“You don’t know his name?” Rowena asked.

“He came in a stranger, much like you. No name, no history… hides his face, even changed his walk every few minutes,” Nazir replied. “I expected him to attempt to kill us when he first arrived.”

“I thought you were the ones who sent out the invites. How did you not know if he arrived?”

“The Night Mother came to him in a dreeaaammm,” Babette imitated overdramatically. “It ws all very bizarre. The man bothers me. But, he’s the only one receiving word from the Night Mother, so we have to trust him… to a point,” Babette’s smile was almost cruel. “You’re lucky we like you and you spared us, Listener, or we wouldn’t be so friendly.”

“I figured,” Rowena deadpanned. “And the contract… you find a way to Castle Volkihar… you kill every damn vampire you can aside from Harkon and Serana.  Pay depends on how many heads you take down for me.”

“Those are… quite strong vampires, if I’ve heard correctly. What did they do to earn your wrath?” Nazir asked.

“That’s my business, not yours. I just need them dead,” Rowena replied.

Nazir chuckled and looked at Babette. “I’m interested if you are.”

“Well it would make things livelier around here,” Babette agreed, then stood up. “But then you and your… friend here should leave before the others come back. They will not be as willing.”

Nazir nodded. “Then you have yourself a deal, Listener. And we’ll see what can be done about your replacement.”

Rowena hesitated, then nodded. She spared half a second’s worth of a glance and Brynjolf before looking back at the other two. “Go…” she replied, and he backed up towards the stairs. She followed, setting up a new shot with her bow before following him out, not bothering to turn her back until Brynjolf had opened the door for her and it was halfway open. She hurried to shut it once they were back outside, then rested against it.

Brynjolf looked at her and forced a laugh, followed by a dramatic sigh. “Well, that was exciting, wasn’t it?”

“No, no it wasn’t remotely exciting,” Rowena shot back before tossing her bow down.

 “Ro…?” Brynjolf began.

 And then she was there in front of him, kissing him. Quick- once, twice, a third time- he barely had the mind to return it after he realized it was actually happening, and then it was over as fast as it had begun. Gods, he wanted her so bad it hurt, but he knew that was more of an act of desperation than anything, judging by how tight she was still holding his arms.

Rowena let him go and exhaled sharply, wearing the same look she had at Riverwood before anger took her over. “You have _no idea_ how close you were to dying just now. _Too close_. There’s not a single doubt in my mind that if Nazir hadn’t stepped in, Babette would’ve slit your throat like it was some game, or bit you and drained you just to make getting rid of me easier… I don’t even have any potions anymore. And that would’ve been my fault too. I was so angry at the world and not having the decency to tell you to wait outside because you had no idea what to expect down there and... I couldn’t… deal with that. Not you.”

“Hey, hey, I’m here now. I’m fine. I’m just… not going to go anywhere near Falkreath or Dawnstar again.”

She laughed weakly in return and he pulled her back into a brief hug.

“So, where to now?” he asked after a beat.

“Whiterun. We’ll stop for the night, regroup, get supplies and then move on.”

“Good. Lass?”

Rowena looked up at him, and he cupped her face before leaning down and kissing her again. It was over as fast as the first had begun and he pulled away. “If we’re talking more danger and you found the time to do it, I wasn’t going to let you get away with the equivalent to the last word on the matter.”

Rowena half laughed, half sighed. “How chivalrous,”

Brynjolf mock bowed.

She gave his shoulder a pat, then turned around. “So… … carriage this time.”

“You won’t hear any arguing from me.”

“Come on then. We’ll head to Lakeview, get     … I need to stop in Riverwood and check up on everyone, then right to Whiterun.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

 

The stop in Riverwood was short. Rowena had wanted to stay the night to make sure everything was okay, but Ralof had all but chased her off, promising they would all be fine- both in general and with her- in due time. He had left her with a bear hug and reassurance that he was okay with her, as were the others.

They had made it to Whiterun by the early evening and were settled into Jorrvaskr by nightfall. To their surprise, Hroar and Runa had run out to meet them, having been dropped off by Balimund a couple of days prior.

They would’ve made it to Breezehome later, had Farkas, Hilde and Brill bothered to hide their distrust of the apparent stranger with their Harbringer and assuming he would take advantage, but looks and silence spoke volumes, so Brynjolf had suggested they stay there overnight. He knew he could take some of them, but he wasn’t in any mood to get attacked over an assumption. So they stayed in the Harbringer’s room for a while. Brynjolf wanted to laugh. It was barely better than them being alone in Breezehome, but at least it got the others off edge.

He had disappeared for a while, leaving Rowena to gather some supplies from around the hall and start to settle in. Granted, in her distracted state, it was more like sweeping a bunch of the small things into her bag without paying much attention.

When Brynjolf got back, he had a case of some mead under his arm and a smirk planted firmly on his face.

She smiled at him, then nodded at the mead upon realizing just what brand it was. “You stole a case of Black Briar mead when she’s put out a contract on us?”

“Hair of the dog that bit you, I suppose,” Brynjolf shrugged, then handed her one of the bottles before setting the crate down beside them and sitting down. “All the more reason to have it, really. If we grab or drink enough after a while, we might just drink her out of business.”

“That’s… a lot of wishful thinking,” Rowena replied. “And you don’t expect us to drink that entire crate, do you? Someone’ll think you’re taking advantage.”

“They already do, and we’ll see what happens,” Brynjolf countered, uncorking the bottle to take a drink before passing the bottle over to her.

They spent the next hour going through small talk and attempting to make a plan on how they would get to Castle Volkihar, what stories about Teldryn the kids had told both of them. They were halfway through the first bottle when they finally ran out of topics for a while.

“I still can’t believe you found and stole Black Briar mead to attempt to defy her.”

“Well, what can I say. You know, maybe it was to attempt to take advantage of you a bit… more to let you ease up more than anything,” he replied.

Rowena sighed and laughed. “Bryn, I…”

“Easy, Lass. I know. I’m just having a spot of fun.”

She poked his arm lightly. “No, listen to me. I know we’ve talked about this, but… look. I want… us. I want us as much as you do. You’re amazing. You’re loyal, you’re more of a father to Hroar and Runa then any of the other ones who know them.  I wouldn’t put up with you if I didn’t. I just… it was supposed to end before, and then it didn’t, and now there’s _this_ , and… I just… “ She clenched her fists and shook her head.

“… Being Dragonborn is really weighing on you, isn’t it?” Brynjolf asked. “Look, you don’t owe these people anything. Let them deal with the damn vampires. Let them handle their own damn magic. Let them play… hired hunter on their own. You’re better than a damned hireling. I’m not saying this for me, I’m saying it for you. If you need to stop, stop.  You aren’t yourself lately and it’s worrying.”

“I’m trying. I just… I can’t just abandon everyone…”

“I didn’t say that. I was saying you don’t have to do all their dirty work,” he insisted. He glanced at her and smiled weakly. He only managed to recognize her return look before once again, he found her kissing him again. This time around it was harder, almost frantic, and he gave as good as he got. The next thing he knew she had straddled his lap and done something particularly unfair with a roll of her hips. He groaned before maneuvering her down so he had her pinned on the floor. His mouth dropped to her throat and nipped at it. Gods, he wanted her so badly it hurt, but he had the brief hope he wouldn't have to worry about that now.  It was about damn time.

 _No._ He realized after a moment, once his brain did the opposite he wanted to and started working again. The conversation, the timing- advantages were being taken. The problem was he wasn’t sure if it was him or her or both of them doing the taking. He swore and pulled back. “ _Rowena…_ ” he lifted himself off of her and sat up.

She heaved a disappointed sigh and straightened as well.

“What’s really getting at you? We’ve been doing this dance for ages and then suddenly today it’s three think me one. Tell me.”

“I… just…after Miraak I’m… a little too aware of my mortality… and everyone else’s who I’ve helped.” she admitted, then looked down and fiddled with the neck of the bottle of mead beside her. She could sense the broken look he gave her and refused to look at him. “And if I’m gone how those people would handle it.”

“Ro…” Brynjolf sighed and looked away. He had thought it was just something she had said in the moment the first time she had brought that particular way of thinking, but it surfaced again. Similiar situation, yes, but twice wasn't remotely good. 

“I just thought… that… could’ve gotten me out of your system there, and just… you can move on, and…”

Now that had gotten to him. “You- what?! You thought… “ all the care that had been on his face seconds ago was gone, replaced completely with bitterness. “If you die on me then there’s no way in Oblivion that I’m just gonna move on and get over it as quickly as you bloody think I am. How could you possibly…?” he scoffed. “Forget it. You wanna stew over a stupid assumption, stew,” he shot back. He rose to his feet, taking the bottle of mead with him. “Might as well take this before you destroy yourself that way, too,” he added before taking a swig himself. “I’ll talk to you in the morning…” he deadpanned before walking out. He was positive there were at least two extra beds in one of the trainee’s rooms, so he headed over there.

Rowena waited a beat until she stopped hearing his footsteps before she exhaled and inhaled sharply, far too calm and collected for someone who had been in such an emotional state only moments before. “… I’m sorry…” 


	7. Chapter 7

Brynjolf came to the next morning, and it took his vision a while to adjust, and even longer for him to remember the fight and why he didn’t wake up to find himself half a room away from Rowena like he usually was on their adventures. And then it all came back to him in one go and he tried to fight the anger he suddenly felt and sat up, only to get one of the strongest dizzy spells he had ever given. What…?

“Easy. It’s amazing what Rowena can do with the right ingredients. I’m sure everything will be fuzzy for a while.”

Brynjolf frowned and looked towards the voice, only seeing a black and silver blur that was getting more and more focused as time went on. But the voice was new. Heavily accented, so not Farkas, Torvar or one of the girls he had met there. It didn’t look like a dark elf and whoever it was looked slightly young and had a Farkas look about him. Farkas’ twin who used to have a stick up his arse, he realized. He swore again. What had happened and where was Rowena?

And then the Companion’s words sunk in and he realized just what the implication meant.

No. No. She did _not_!

“No. She wouldn’t do that to me. We made a deal, it’s…” he went to sit up, practically tossing himself into a sitting position, and another wave of dizziness hit him along with nausea, and suddenly there were two shapes that were distinctly Runa and Hroar-shaped that flanked him.

“Ma said she was protecting you, Uncle Bryn…” Hroar pointed out.

“Oh did she?” Brynjolf scoffed. “Kids- out, now.” he squeezed his eyes shut.

“But-“ the pair of them began.

“Now!” Brynjolf insisted, and he heard the children scamper away. He re-opened his eyes and found the blur was more human shaped. “She drugged me…” he confirmed. “She. Drugged Me.” he shook his head. He wracked his brain for a source, and then remembered, glancing down at the now-empty mead bottle. He lifted it and gave it a quick, experimental sniff.

By the smell of it, she had even used the combo of ingredients he had taught her to ensure that marks who would be asleep would stay asleep. And with a great deal more effort, he remembered her playing with the bottle, which now that he thought of it, was her dosing it.

Then it hadn’t been added earlier in the night, so it was added then… his heart sunk. Oh, his lass was as smart as much as she was manipulative. The kiss that had almost gone further, the tears, the sob story, her lack of defense in the fight, her letting him go to be the one to drink themselves into Oblivion- it had been staged.  It was her means to get him to this point.  Then what about the first one outside of the Sanctuary?

He shook his head. That bit didn’t matter for now. What did matter was that during that fight he had gone and snapped, and staged or not he knew that his own words would sink in eventually with her current state.

He glanced at the other man, who hesitated before holding out a vial of something.

“I doubt after that realization you’re in any mood to drink from what a stranger gives you, but it’s the fastest cure to one of those,” he replied. “I am Vilkas, by the way. I don’t think-“

“When did she leave?” he cut Vilkas off.

“She asked me not to tell you,”

Brynjolf shot up and practically lunged at the man, going a matter of inches too far to the left, but still managed to clip him, which did the trick and let him pin Vilkas to the wall. “She drugged me to keep me here because she’s headed into what she thinks is a suicide mission. Did she tell you that part?”

“No-“

“Then tell me when she left and what route she’s taking.”

“She left four hours ago, and she didn’t say. Now let me down.”

Brynjolf growled and released him, taking the vial and downing it in one go afterwards. He flinched, then shook his head. “Who else would know what routes she would take around here?”

“No idea. After she sided with the Stormcloaks she doesn’t have many friends around here.”

“Shopkeepers? Friends who owe her a favor.”

“I’ve only ever been with her during quick passes through town. Ysolda may know, but… Rowena may not have told anyone for their own good.”

“Where can I find Ysolda, then?”

“She owns one of the stands at the market. It may lead to a dead end…” Vilkas offered.

“I still need to find her. She can’t do this on her own.”

“I have to disagree. She is Dra-“

“I’m well aware that she’s Dragonborn. The fact that that seems to be the excuse that’s leading her down her one-woman path of self –desruction is what’s bothering me,” Brynjolf replied. He slowly made his way over to his things, trying to ignore the fact the room was spinning. He paused for a while and leaned on the wall. “Just what was in what she slipped me…?” he hissed.

Vilkas shrugged, then walked over and took his pack. “Come on, then. The one’s who aren’t training today are attempting to see where she’s gone, too.”

“I thought you said she didn’t say,”

“You’re not the only one who cares for Rowena,” Vilkas shot back.

Brynjolf clenched his jaw. It was only a matter of time before he met his completion, he knew that much, but he didn’t expect it to be the only apparent friend he had at that moment. “So what do you suggest, then?”

“The others are making sweeps from the gates. You and I can try around town.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No,” Vilkas replied. “Ria’s home, keeping guard. She’ll take care of Hroar and Runa when we’re gone.”

“I need to talk to them… tell them… … what Ro’s thrown herself into.”

“Be quick about it or we lose the scent if there’s still one.”

“If she’s gone for hours how is there…?” Brynjolf began, and then realization dawned on him. “Ah…”

“So she has told you.”

“I’ve heard enough stories and put the pieces together.”

“Fair enough.”

* * *

 

Brynjolf glanced around the square as he and Vilkas finally arrived there. So much had changed that he hadn’t picked up during the previous evening.  Not setting foot in the city since his last robbery there was starting to show, as was Rowena’s influence, if he had to guess.

“Ysolda!” Vilkas called from a few yards ahead.

Brynjolf snapped out of his haze and quickened his pace over to Vilkas before stopping in his tracks upon seeing the woman in question.

He did know Ysolda.

Except, three years ago she was going around calling herself ‘Sol’, and she was the easiest mark he had come across in the city- in more ways than one.  It had originally been a long con, and he had settled in the city for around a year, where he had met the woman early on. He had her wrapped around his finger while robbing her blind. He still remembered a few of their trysts before he had finished getting all the information on payloads he needed from her and skipped town. He also remembered she thought they were serious. If he got found out, they were doomed. Well, he had barely remembered her, maybe she wouldn’t-

His thought process came to a crashing halt when there was a quick, sharp pressure that made his head snap to the side and then it stung. When he adjusted his neck, he found her standing in front of him, looking murderous. “… So you do remember me…”

“How can I not?! I wasted good months on you! And for what? You left in the middle of the night, never to be seen again?!” Ysolda blurted. “What brought you back here?”

“A friend of ours’ is in danger…” Brynjolf deadpanned.  

Ysolda scoffed. “Good. He or she should stay that way. It’s better than being around you,” she snapped, then looked at Vilkas, who was trying considerably hard not to look surprised at the others’ exchange. “I wouldn’t trust him, Vilkas. This one’s a liar and a cheat and a thief.”

“I thought as much with the last one,” Vilkas deadpanned, and when Brynjolf clenched his jaw and gave him an ‘are you kidding?’ look, he shrugged. “Right now I need to trust him. Rowena’s gone and thrown herself into danger and we need to figure out where she’s gone.”

“Wait, Rowena’s the friend in question?” Ysolda asked, then scoffed. “Oh, then she’s definitely better off. Did you bed her and then drop her, too?  She deserves better-“

“I know,” Brynjolf snapped.  “But right now it’s her safety I’m worried about so if she stopped by or told you anything, let us know or she’s gonna end up hurt or worse.”

Ysolda looked from him to Vilkas, who nodded to confirm the story. “… No, she didn’t come by. I just saw her leaving your Hall earlier.”

“Which way did she go?”

“Main gate,” Ysolda replied.

Brynjolf turned to head down the stairs without another word.

Ysolda watched him, a look of confusion plastered on her face before she looked at Vilkas.

Vilkas put his hands up again. “I don’t know. He’s… there’s genuine care there, that’s all I know.”

“I’d still watch him…” Ysolda pointed out.

Vilkas nodded in agreement. “I am,”

Ysolda walked back to her stall without another word, and Vilkas hurried to catch up with Brynjolf. When he did, he grabbed his shoulder. “Easy. We only left with weapons and armor. We need supplies if we’re both going after her for a while.”

“Then let’s go,” Brynjolf deadpanned.

Vilkas pointed at Belethor’s shop, and Brynjolf reluctantly led the way, only stopping when Belethor himself met them halfway to walk in, having ‘just finished some other business in the market’. Vilkas started naming off a list and Belethor retrieved the items, all the while looking at Brynjolf and back to his work.

After a while, Brynjolf broke. “Problem?” He probably remembers me and the fact I disappeared right after his place got robbed blind, too.

“So you’re Rowena’s latest squeeze, huh?” Belethor asked, then snorted and jabbed a finger in Vilkas’ direction. “Always thought it was gonna be them, myself…” he set one of the health potions down. “So, I gotta know. How is she in the sack?”

Before Brynjolf could even finish letting his face drop, he saw a blur of black and silver, and he realized Vilkas had done his job for him and punched Belethor in the face.

“That’s our Harbringer you’re dishonoring. I’d watch your tongue,” Vilkas replied.

Belethor grunted in understanding.

Vilkas sighed. “What do we owe you, then?”

“No charge,” Belethor coughed.

“Good choice,” Vilkas replied, then dragged everything they had bought into his own pack and led the pair of them out. Once He noticed Brynjolf’s silence, he spoke up. “Steel hurts more than a bare fist.”

“That’s not it. Let’s just go.”

After a moment, Vilkas put the pieces together. “… … It’s not her, you know.”

“What?” Brynjolf asked without looking at him.

Vilkas spotted the guards opening the gate for him and stopped for a bit. “Wrong sister,”

“What?” Brynjolf repeated.

“If you’re worried about me being the one defending her right now, it’s her older sister. Like I said, it’s the fact that Rowena’s our Harbringer that I did the defending.”

Brynjolf paused to look at him, then continued on.

After they had left the city limits, Vilkas looked back at him. “So… any ideas on the next step if she’s not telling anyone anything?”

“We follow the bodies or screaming.”

“I thought she-“

“Of the vampire, dragon or Thalmor variety, Lad. That’s all.”

 

* * *

 

Two and a half days, three bear attacks, one spriggan den and a near miss with a dragon later, Rowena had stumbled into Rorikstead. She was nearly as tired as she had been during her main recovery. She managed to make it to the Frostfruit Inn.

Upon seeing her, Erik got up immediately. “Rowa?”

Rowena saw him, smiled weakly and opened her arms. “Hello, Handsome Slayer!” she all but breathed.

Erik smiled uncertainly, moving in to hug her. “And how would your sister react to hearing you say that to me?”

“She’d get over it. Can I get a room, please?”

Erik took hold of her shoulders and ducked to look her in the eye. “Are you okay…?”

“Just… tired, and… emotionally drained,” she replied, then grinned up at him. “I missed you. I mean, Callista does too, but she sees you all the time these days…”

Erik leaned closer again. “Did you hit your head?”

“I might have? There was a bear who hit me before…”

“Okay, time for you to rest now.”

“But I came here to tell you that if an angry redhead who’s gonna call you ‘Lad’ a lot stops by to look for me, tell him you don’t know me,” Rowena replied. “And then I’m gonna sleep for a couple of hours and then leave.”

Erik frowned. “Rowa…”

“What? I will!”

“You’re  staying here for the night. No arguments. You look like you’re dying.”

“Well, I was a little while ago.”

“What?!”

“Look, Er-“

“No. You’re staying here until you’re visibly well rested. We’re family now. I have to look out for you. Now what has you so desperate to leave so soon?”

“I can’t… I shouldn’t tell you. Keep it at Dragonborn business,” Rowena replied, suddenly far more serious than before.

“All the more reason for you to stay.”

“Erik, please-“

“I will stand guard outside your door and check in every hour to make sure you’re sleeping,” Erik replied, taking her wrist and dragging her towards one of the rooms.

“I can’t pay-“

“I’ll talk to my father.”

“B-“

“Are you in any immediate danger?”

“No, but I will be.”

“Then humor me. Please. Call it a favor,” Erik replied, and offered his best big-eyed, pleading look for good measure.

After a few seconds, Rowena sighed. “Fine, but I’m serious- if a redhead comes in here, probably yelling about me, I wasn’t here. It’s for his safety, okay?”

“Okay,” Erik nodded after a moment, and herded her into the room for good measure.

Rowena smiled and kissed him on the cheek before putting her things down and collapsing face-first into the bed.

Erik expected her to fake him out more, but within mere moments, her breathing had slowed and she had gone completely slack, honestly sleeping. He closed the door and waved over his father. “If some redhead guy comes around looking for her, just let me know.”

“She hiding from him?”

“Not entirely sure yet. I’m gonna see for myself first.”

“Fair enough.”

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Rowena stumbled back away from Harkon's body. He had put up a near unbearable fight, and she had moved the same way she had during her fight with Miraak to the point that she had several flashbacks along the way. She was still shaking for her trouble. She used Auriel's bow as a crutch briefly in order to reach Serana. 

"Are you alright?" Serana asked once she had made it over. 

"I'm fine. I just need a minute..." she frowned when Serana put her hand on her shoulder. "Please, don't start that. You've been doing well so far, don't get the impression I'm gonna break any second. A lot of friends have pulled that recently." 

"And for good reason, if you could see yourself," Serana countered. 

Rowena sighed. She had a point. "I've just had... a long day, and I've lost a lot of people." 

"You aren't the only one," Serana replied, then smiled when Rowena went from looking annoyed to looking guilty. "Relax. That was a point of relation, not calling you being selfish. You just helped me kill the ones I was referring to, and they were going to kill us either way. I meant no harm."

"Sorry, just... on edge." 

"From the fight with my father, or your fight with the man I smelled on you before?" 

Rowena sighed. "I thought it was werewolves with the extra powerful senses." 

"We both do. And I'm trying here." 

"I appreciate it. And a bit of both, as far as your answer," she wandered over to her pack that she had tossed aside when Harkon had launched himself at her and slung it over one shoulder, slinging the string of Auriel's bow over the other. "So now what are you going to do?"

"I'm... not really sure. Now that my father's gone there will be fewer attacks, but they'll still be around. I may go back to Fort Dawnguard. They could use someone who knows what they're up against." 

Rowena glanced at her."Are you sure that's wise? Isran-"

"Will learn to accept me. The others respect you so I already have their support. What about you? Back to that small family?" 

"Yes, unless someone else drags me into trouble, which, who am I kidding? It'll happen." 

"Well, now you have a vampire on your side if you need help telling them to back off."

"Then I'm sure they'll leave, with you and the clan of werewolves and former werewolves with me, too," she replied with a smile. She sighed and looked at her pack, and then the glowing horse skull. "So are you headed back to the Fort now, or are you up for company? I'm headed back to Rorikstead. I probably have a small army headed after me to make sure I'm okay by now." 

"At least they're not trying to kill you." 

Rowena laughed and shrugged. "True," 

Serana cleaned her dagger on one of the nearest drapes. "I suppose I could provide some company along the way." 

"Good. I'm ready to go, then. Tell me when you are." 

"I am already." 

"... Are you sure? This was your home once." 

"Once. It hasn't been for a while. I suppose that's why I don't need closure."

"Fair enough. Let's get going then, in case we missed some of them." 

* * *

They had made it most of the way to Solitude when there was screaming from above the treeline. 

"That's new..." Rowena replied, notching an arrow. She waited, and then the silence other than the screaming broke when short, repeated bursts of  air cut through the trees. "Dragon. Damn it, get ready..." She saw the trees shake more off to the left and rolled to accomodate the change when the gust made her stumble back. She went to correct her shot when she recognized the dragon- but didn't know why it was all the way out in the area. She saw Serana prepare a fire spell and held her hand out. "Wait!" she ordered, then realized just where the screaming was coming from. "Paarthurnax, what's going on...?" she muttered as the dragon came to land a few feet ahead. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized the one who had been doing the screaming and was now utterly silent as he was released from the dragon's talons was Erik. She hurried over. "Erik?!" 

The young man spotted her and scrambled over, keeping low. "Why are you not panicking and why is it not killing us?!" he demanded. 

Rowena stepped in front of him. "He's a friend." 

" _He_? A friend? A _FRIEND_?!" 

"Shhhh!" she hissed, then looked at the dragon again. "Paarthurnaax, why are you out here? Why do you have my friend? Is everything alright?"   
  
" _Nid, Dovakiin. Hask_. Your friends have your imprint. I came when I sensed you getting attacked. It was them, not you. He left this one alive. _Siiv hi._ The assassin is _nootaan_. He means to lead you to him using your friends," Parthurnaax reported. He curled in on himself to make himself blend in with the woods around him when he spotted a guard in the distance. 

"Anything else I should know?" Rowena asked.

"He was with two others. _Tafiir. Grohiik_. One who steals and one who smells of a wolf. Their attackers- _sahqo... ved_. Blood and death." 

Erik gaped at the dragon for a while, then nodded. "Vilkas and Brynjolf, Rowa. The men who attacked looked like they were from the Dark Brotherhood."

"Thought as much," Rowena replied, trying to fight showing the fact that her heart had sunk and she had gone pale. "How long ago? Can you still sense the ones that the assassin took?" 

" _Welkand_. Near a place your kind calls Dragon Bridge."

"Good. It's not far," Rowena replied. "Can you sense if anybody else is in danger?" 

"The ones who smell of the thief. But they expect it. _Nahlokaan_. Yours was surprised."

Rowena nodded. "Then we're off to Dragon Bridge. You know how to find me if things get worse. If not... the Greybeards will need you, so go back," she replied, then paused. "No, wait, the kids-" 

"The little ones bear the strongest imprint. They are _tirahk_. Protected by the one who smells of the wolf."

"Then go. I trust you to come if there's more trouble," Rowena replied.  

 Paarthurnax bowed his head briefly before taking off. 

Erik waited a few beats before looking at Rowena. "You just had a conversation with a dragon. Who could _kill you_." 

"Apparently he just saved your life, so watch what you say," Rowena replied. "If the contract's just out on my Guild, why did he take Vilkas too...?" 

"... ... Better fighter, I guess..." Erik deadpanned after a moment. He looked down when Rowena looked at him. "I... they reached town, came to me. I wanted to get a feel for them so I took them around for a bit to meet people, then we reached the outskirts... five of them surrounded us. I got hit in the shoulder here and... well, that made me first to go down, and..." he looked down and looked pained. 

Rowena walked over to him and cupped his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her. She smiled weakly. "Hey, hey, hey.You did what you could. Now all that matters is getting them back," Rowena replied. "Serana? Remember that talk we had about needing help?" 

"You've got me, don't worry," Serana replied. 

Erik squinted at her, then recognition dawned on his face. "Is- Is she...?" 

"Yes," the women replied simultaneously. 

Erik closed his mouth firmly, then looked at Rowena. "We need to talk about keeping some of your alliances from me. Is she...?" 

"If I wanted to harm you, I would've done it already," Serana replied. 

Erik coughed awkwardly and stepped behind Rowena. 

The dragonborn heaved a sigh and motioned at them to follow her. "Come on. Who knows how much time we have left... or where they are in the town."

"Should've asked your dragon friend for leads," Erik deadpanned. 

"With the Brotherhood? Believe me, we won't need them," Rowena replied. "Now let's go."

* * *

Brynjolf hissed in pain when the hooded bastard who had taken him and Vilkas a matter of hours ago ran the tip of his dagger across his collarbone. They had fought as much as possible until two of the Brotherhood members had each nicked them with an arrow that had some odd mix of poison and sleeping draught. The pair had woken up strapped to tables and had been toyed with since. The stranger had already opened up the scar on his cheek and done a number on his exposed shoulder. He figured skipping the 'wait until he breaks' game would've worked in his favor, but unfortunately figuring he had a slight upper hand didn't help the pain. It didn't help that the bastards had mentioned having '

Their attacker moved on to Vilkas, inflicted a few other marks and left. 

Brynjolf sighed. "Hey, Wolf. You still with me?" 

"Former wolf, and I've had worse. What about you?" 

"Pretty damn good for a thief, if that's what you're getting at." 

Vilkas let out a broken chuckle. "That's what we need. Keep up that attitude and maybe they'll be the ones to break first." 

"If breaking isn't them killing us. Something tells me they're doing this to get Ro. We would've been dead, given the contract. I would've been dead. Could still happen. You're the bait, I'm just the target they're drawing out," Brynjolf replied. 

"You know things have changed when the one who isn't on the dark side of the law are the overly optimistic ones," Vilkas replied. 

It was Brynjolf's turn to laugh before it faded. "Problem is Ro will still come..." he replied, then leaned towards the door that the Brotherhood people had come in and out through. "She'll know this is set up as a trap. No one's gonna fall for it, but she'll show! See it as a challenge and kill you lot just as easily!"

Vilkas looked up. "Easy. Let's keep them just drawing blood and getting to our heads for now. No need to get them more excited yet." 

"A riled up target is a better target, Wolf. Even you should know that." 

"I do. But usually I'm protecting the person who's the one in danger. Not the one whose safety is really on the line." 

"You'd know more about that case than I would," Brynjolf replied. "We might as well start making bets. What do you vote? Under ten more beat-downs before Ro shows up, or fewer?"

"I can't decide if that's the bloodloss, loyalty or insanity talking," Vilkas replied. 

"It's a bit of all three," Brynjolf countered. "Well, strained loyalty at the moment, but loyalty all the same."

Vilkas snorted. After a few seconds, he sighed. "Twelve. That's my number. What's the wager?" 

"Ha. Knew I'd get you. Two hundred septims? Bragging rights to say you passed out last, even if it ends up being true?"

Vilkas sighed. "How about we work on that along the way, hm? Gives us something to think about." 

"Sounds fine to me, Lad." 

* * *

 

A/N: So I probably butchered it in the process, but the rough translations of... dragon language that I used: 

Nid: No  
Hask: Danger  
Siiv hi: Found him  
Nootaan: Skilled  
Tafiir: Thief  
Grohiik: Wolf  
sahqo: Red  
ved: Black  
Welkand: West  
Nahlokaan: Prepared

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

The eerie silence in the abandoned castle that followed when Rowena, Erik and Serana entered the place was unsettling for all of them. They had made it nearly three rooms into the building with no attackers yet, so they were on edge, feeling like it was an even bigger trap that originally thought as time went on. That was, until Rowena opened one door and it swung open into a large, circular room- with Delvin smack dab in the middle of it, beaten and bloodied, but upright and still defiant.

Rowena headed forward. “Del!”

“Don’t come closer!” Delvin barked after a moment. When he heard that the three had taken his advice, he let out a weak laugh and spit blood out of his mouth and off to the side. “They’ve got this place all rigged up with traps everywhere- pressure plates, tripwires, the works. I’m not quite sure if I’m on one yet, but since I did some wiggling, I’m… well, sort’ve hoping that I’m just the prize at the center of the maze. Then again, standard traps, so they’re your cup’a tea.”

Rowena nodded slowly, then saw him fidget just to get a good angle to breathe at. “Want me to see if I can get you healed from here?”

“That would be lovely,” Delvin replied, sounding grateful and sarcastic all at once.

Rowena held out her hand and inched forward, letting out a relieved sigh when the pale yellow wisps started winding from her palm out in a line to the other man.

It barely reached him, but Delvin knew enough to scoot forward so it could work a hair better.

“Look, Del, not that I’m not happy to see you, and we are gonna get you out of here and safe, but-“

“Last I checked the others were alive, but… that feels like days ago, and…” Delvin’s shoulders slumped. “Last I heard from them was that wolf friend of yours screaming, Boss. They might be alive, but they might not be in great shape.”

Rowena frowned, then jumped when she heard movement from above, just in time to see three Brotherhood Initiates burst out of a door that was a level up with the floor beside it collapsed. She saw one notching an arrow and shoved Vilkas and Serana off to the side. “MOVE!” she threw herself into a forward roll to dodge the arrow, narrowly missing a tripwire in the process. She fired off an ice spell towards the wire and it snapped. A moment later, one of the Initiates tackled her to the ground and had a knife hovering just above her heart. Rowena kicked wildly for a moment, and when they moved with her, she called out, “Fus!” and it worked to dislodge them. She got up. “Where’s the boss?” she growled.

“You think I’m going to tell you that easily?” the Initiate fired back.

“I was hoping.”

“Then you’ll have to kill me,” the Initiate challenged.

Rowena heard the other Initiate go down and Erik let out a battlecry seconds later, so she figured this was the last of them, too. “Fine!” She adjusted her grip on the dagger and thrust it down into the Initiate’s chest.

He yowled.

Rowena leaned forward. “You have my friends. You were all out of chances. Now you can tell me what I want to know and I can help you here, or you can fail to tell me and I end it here and now.”

“He’s not here. It’s a trap. Testing your gall. And how much the fools mean to you.”

“He should’ve already known if he was the decent assassin he made himself out to be.”

“Good. So you’re not as dumb as you look.”

“Do you think that’s really going to upset me?” Rowena countered.

“Worth a shot,” he countered.

Rowena scoffed, then raised her eyebrows. “You know, that was your last chance, anyway. Don’t go telling any of your friends in the next life the Dragoborn didn’t do anything for you.” She twisted her blade, then ripped it out of him only to shove it back in, just above the first mark. He jerked, and she felt his life leave him. She paused, then stumbled back. She rose to her feet and glanced around. Several of the traps had been tripped in the latest scramble, but there were a few still intact. “Del, get ready for anything!” she called, unstrapping her shield from her back and rolling it so it made a wide circle, tripping two traps. She launched a few ice spells around to trip the rest. She looked over at Delvin and let out a weak laugh at the half petrified, half expectant look on his face. “Get up carefully.”

Delvin let out a snort of his own before getting up faster than she would’ve liked. He waited a couple of moments when he was upright, then took a hesitant step in each direction and back. “Clear so far, Boss.”

“Any idea where Bryn and Vilkas are,... if they _are_ still alive?”

“My guess? Up there, but that would require us to look around for a door to get up there, and I can’t help with where it was since I was out when they dragged me here.”  
Rowena nodded at him to follow.

He took several quick, large steps to meet them. “Look, they have my gear somewhere, and I’m useless without a weapon now…” he trailed off, then smirked. “You wouldn’t happen to have something for me in that poor, abused bag, do you?”

Rowena rolled her eyes, swung the bag off her shoulder and took the Nightingale blade out before holding it out to him. “Everyone’s right. No shame. You know, someday, I’m gonna find out that you’re secretly pretty damn good with magic and you’re just trying to get this off of me.”

Delvin grinned good-natured me. “I’d give you the truth, Sweetheart, but then I’d have to kill you. So, can I keep it?”

She turned from her spot down the hallway she had found. “If you’re good,” she winked.

They made it up the stairs, stopping to fight off three more Initiates when they showed up. It had taken a surprising effort, before a fourth Initiate who had joined the fray abruptly dropped, then rolled before stabbing one of the other Initiates through the stomach with their sword.

Rowena turned on the new Initiate.

They, in turn, put his hands up, then paused to pull his cowl down. “You have my word I won’t harm you,” he blurted.

Rowena frowned. “Lorek…” she recognized him. 

The Breton nodded quickly. “You saved my life. I’m not ever going to forget that.”

“So wouldn’t that make us even, so you’re home free after that?” Rowena asked and gripped her sword tighter.

Lorek shook his head. “A life saved is… enough to put the one who was saved in a lifetime of debt. Even if I just saved yours, you were my superior when I joined, you remain it now. I’m on your side.”

Rowena looked him over, then nodded hesitantly. She looked at Delvin, who seemed to get the hint and stepped closer to her with a wary eye on the relative stranger. 

Another few moments passed, and Teldryn came charging through the door Lorek had come, only to stop short. When Rowena’s look of alarm faded to affectionate annoyance upon realizing it wasn't another hired sword come to kill anyone, he dropped his fighting stance and leaned on the railing, looking smug as ever despite not being able to show it. “What took you all so long? And what’s with the small army? You clearly don’t need them. They all look sub-par to me.”

“I protect my people. Did you infiltrate their ranks too, or did you just come to stir the pot for a fight?”

“Bit a both- or, I would’ve done the last part, had you and your friends not done the loud approach when I was about to come in,” he replied. “And I’ve found your friend Maven. I have her in a little shack just outside Solitude. She tried to run. I figured you and the thief would want to talk to her before… dispatching her."

“Never would’ve thought of you as the sentimental kind,” Rowena replied, stepping aside so he could hop down from the ledge. She watched him nod a greeting to Delvin and give the others a once over before falling into place in the circle. She turned back to Lorek. “Have you been here long?”

“Long enough to get an idea of where your replacement is hiding now," Lorek replied. 

“And Brynjolf and Vilkas?”

“Follow me. Be careful though. There are at least four more of ‘us’ who don’t hold my policy on loyalty.”

Rowena nodded, then looked back at Delvin, who in turn raised his sword just a bit more, just to be safe.

One fight and an ambush later, they found the intended dungeon. Rowena’s heart sunk, seeing Brynjolf and Vilkas all but sagged against their respective tables they were strapped too. At least this time they looked more exhausted than in pain, given the dried blood and bruises everywhere. She darted over to them, pausing only to look back at Lorek to make sure he wasn’t playing games, but Delvin had it covered, with his back at the door and his sword subtly pointed in the Imperial’s direction. She turned back to her friends and started an ice spell with one hand and a healing one with the other, practically jumping between the pair in order to break them free and get them healed enough for travel.

That, of course, was when a small batch of mercenaries decided to pile into the room and start what Rowena hoped was a last ditch effort.

Brynjolf finally seemed to snap out of his haze when the healing going on in his body caught up with his brain, and when he spotted Rowena, he scoffed. “Oh look, the hero showed after all.”

“What?!” Rowena had to throw herself to the side to negate the stopping short that she did.

“I just expected you sooner, since you just have to be the solo hero, and Nocturnal forbid that she has help. And look, it’s decidedly male help, too. Wonder how many you’ve let have a piece of you at this rate.”

“ _What_?” Rowena continued again, though this was quite angrier, not at all liking where it was headed. She beheaded one merc and got pushed back by another who had thrown himself at her seconds later.

“Are you sure you want to talk this out now?” Teldryn snapped as he attempted to weave his way through the crowd to get a better vantage point. There were at least twenty mercs left. He was finally starting to understand just how much of a threat the Maven woman was, or had been, anyway.

“Exactly. Now’s not exactly the time, Bryn.”

“Well, I figured we might as well, before you go gallivanting off or drugging me so you can escape without any problems!” Brynjolf pointed out.

Vilkas, who had just finished coming around, flinched before offering a thankful nod at Erik when the other Nord hoisted his arm across his shoulders to support him. “It’s the blood loss talking, Rowa. He was going on like a lovesick girl a while ago. I’m grateful, at least.”

“Yes. This ungrateful one is the charmer that had you so upset before?” Serana asked, snapping the neck of her own latest opponent.

“Can we all save this for later, please?!” Rowena demanded, throwing herself down to avoid the war-axe that would’ve taken her head clean off if she had been completely distracted.

“No, b-“

She turned sharply and threw a fireball at one of Brynjolf’s bindings, and the iced-over metal exploded.

The thief lurched down unceremoniously until the other one broke, Vilkas was freed seconds later.

She was next to them in a matter of seconds, doing weaving of her own to get by. She tossed Vilkas the longsword strapped to the side of her bag, then got the glass dagger from her right hip and tossed it to Brynjolf. “You and I are having a conversation later,”

“Fine. Hold on, this is my dagger, Lass. Where…?”

“Remember the one that went missing early on? I was testing out my pickpocketing skill and took it right off-“ She barely had the mind to realize he had shoved her aside before she hit the opposite wall. She turned and noticed, judging by the dead body that had a dagger sticking out of his chest, the man had just saved her life, despite being angry for whatever the latest reason was. When she saw him flinch, she sighed and started up a dual healing spell and sent the magic his way before using it on Vilkas. “Hey, Teld! I’m making rounds, so if you want to cover me, do it!”

“Anything for you, _Darling_ ,” he replied, and a moment later a fire bolt flew past her head and into one of the last mercs around.

They cut their way through the others, and regrouped in the center before all agreeing to get out of the place at dodge.

* * *

 

They made it back to Dragon Bridge in complete and utter silence. Some were figuring out when the opportune moment to leave on their own would be, and the others didn’t exactly want to talk for fear of intercepting any of the anger that was all but radiating from Rowena.

Finally having enough of the silence, Erik leaned over to Delvin, who had drifted between him and the Dragonborn. The thief didn’t even know why, but he liked the kid from the brief encounters they had in the Cistern, so he had figured placing himself there would lessen the verbal blow if anything. and “I don’t get it. I mean, it was blood loss talking, wasn’t it? I thought they were-“

“Son, now’s not a good time for that subject,” Delvin hissed. “Just… keep it calm, keep it quiet, and give everyone their space,” he gave him a quick pat on the back, then looked around. “Oh, we’ve lost Vampire Girl and the bloke I’m still not sure we should’ve trusted.”

“She does that- disappear a lot,” Rowena replied. “And as for Lorek… who knows, but if we can’t, I can live with a delayed battle,” she replied. There was more silence until they reached the Penitus Oculatus Outpost. “You’re all welcome to leave or stay as long as you want. I’m exhausted, so I’m going. I’ll be downstairs if you need me. If most of you need me."

Erik, Delvin and Teldryn all looked at Brynjolf expectantly.

He looked around. “What? I was angry!”

“You were a bloody fool and you’re gonna go apologize to her,” Delvin replied.

“What? I was reacting to her drugging me!”

“I’m fairly certain you implied that she was some sort of whore on top of all the idiocy I just heard,” Teldryn pointed out.

“She was in the process of saving your life,” Erik cut in.

Brynjolf glared at him, then realized it was all of them that had turned on him, so staring down the one wasn't going to help. “Fine. _Fine!_ I will.”

Delvin nodded. “Good. These two and I will be down at the mill, like she said.”

“You know if it wasn’t for her and I, you three wouldn’t even be in this spot…” Brynjolf objected.

“Exactly. Now go. We’ve all seen her angry, now let’s not get her angrier," Delvin replied. "I almost lost my favorite appendage the last time, and I'm not risking it again over your... territorial behavior!" 

“That one comment set her off that much? How? She's a grown woman, she'll get over it." 

 

Brynjolf huffed again, then turned and made his way over to the outpost.

* * *

  
Rowena collapsed into the nearest chair, then opened the dresser beside her to get to her stash of the Stones of Barenziah. She picked one up, then absentmindedly let it levitate a few times above her hand. Entitled little bastard. She expected the jabs at her method of leaving him. She welcomed them, but of course there had to be something about his standards for them. Like she didn’t have twenty or more other things to worry about that were more important than who she had ever taken to bed. And he knew better. And he knew some of the answers to that too, so he was about as far into the wrong as he could be. Beaten or not he should’ve at least waited to even have that talk until their lives were out of danger. She looked up when she heard the doorknob turn. And here he was, come to grovel. She had locked him out, knowing full well he didn’t have his supplies. It would’ve at least temporarily knocked him down a peg.

“Lass?”

Oh, he wasn’t going to pull that, either. She didn’t budge.

“Ro, I don’t know what I was thinking. Just… let me in and we’ll talk.”

Rowena flinched when the option to humor him presented itself. He was trying, part of her pointed out. You might as well, because he’s like you that way- he won’t stop ‘til he wins, the rest argued. She swore and got up, unlocked the door, then went back to her perch. She didn’t look up when he came in and took it as a small victory when he actually seemed to consider what he was going to say and didn’t go right into it. When there was too much of a silence, she looked up.

He, on the other hand, went stock-still about it, and then finally gathered himself. “…I’m sorry.”

“You should be.” She set the stone down.

To his credit, Brynjolf backed up a step and let her go. “Look, I will use the bloodloss excuse about... insulting how long it took you to get here. It's... Hell, you've been there. You'd probably understand."

"I wouldn't narrate my impatience to the one doing the saving." 

"I'm a git, what can I say? As for the rest, I’m just… not used to sharing you-“

“Sharing me? Oh, there that is again. Now you can’t even blame the damage. Sharing me? I’m not anyone’s property when-“

“I know! Gods, believe me I know. I'm just... I'm trying here. Bad choice of words. My mind's not all back yet." 

“Keep trying, then,” Rowena replied, and when he arched an eyebrow, she stood carefully. “Bryn, I don’t want to fight about this, but you know, hurt or not, you had no right to even go anywhere near there. It’s not any of your damn business from the start, but-“

“I love you,” he cut her off.

Rowena flinched, then sighed. “I know…”

It was Brynjolf’s turn to snort, but it faded. “I suppose I deserve that, then.”

“That’s not…” Rowena replied. “I-“

“You don’t have to… I just needed to admit it before I fuck up again. The point’s that I didn’t want to lose you to some other faction the way the Brotherhood lost you, and then… things changed, and then I realized I wasn’t losing you to a faction, but losing you to some other random lad that I don’t even know because you’re off saving the world…”

“Bryn…” Rowena sighed.

“Just thought I owed you that, if anything.”

“You damned fool…” Rowena sighed, then carefully closed the distance between them and craned her neck to kiss him gently.

He returned it again, but for the first time in the latest few exchanges of the sort, he was confused at the reason behind that one.

“I told you before. It’s been you. It may always be you. The fact that I have decidedly male company shouldn’t put you off because that’s just how mercenaries work these days. And men are easier to get along with. There’s not a single bit of competition between you and any of them because I’m not interested.”

“The kid who came to us before you got in may be with your sister but he’s looking at you-“

“It’s admiration. And he’s a little brother to me. I would be terrified of dragging him into anything when I’ve already scarred him enough.”

“… The dark elf, then?" 

“ _Teldryn_?”

“Mhm,”

“… … You’re…” her serious tone dropped and she beamed. “You thought Teldryn and I…”

“Well, joking or not that pet name came pretty damn fast before.”

“… … … He’s sly, Brynjolf. If anything I’d have to watch him around you.”

“Sly? What…? Oh… _Oh._ ”

She couldn’t contain the resulting laugh. “Alright, now I’m sure you probably threw the twins in there if you got that upset, and you and I both know the pair of them are interested in my sister.”

“Well, wait, _both of them are_?”

“Yes,”

“Does she…? Do they...?" 

“I’m terrified of finding out, actually.”

“What about every other man you seem to drag off on adventures? Aside from the vampire lass I haven’t seen many," he asked. He was walking on ice, he knew that, and she could tell he was being cautious, but the wall was breaking and now it just seemed more curiosity than anything accusatory. 

“Because I get along with them better, and most are admittedly better fighters than the rest. And I don’t encourage the ones who do have an interest in me because I already care about you a lot more than I really should’ve in the long run.”

Brynjolf paused, then snorted. “I think I’m supposed to be insulted there,” he replied, then ran his thumb up and down her hip. “Well, I’ve mucked things up a fair bit, haven’t I?”

“Oh, undoubtedly.”

“But…?”

“But, thanks to all the excitement I’ve had and that obliviousness that is… fairly terrible for a thief of your stature, I’m in a forgiving mood at the moment, and I already said I'm tired of fighting…” she stopped, and when he opened his mouth to reply, “Bryn, shut up for once. You already did your talking, and I did mine. It’s fine now,” she kissed him again and felt him relax, and possibly give up on whatever possible protest he had formulated. She paused, then took his hand and stepped back, leading him with her.

It took him a moment, but when Brynjolf saw that they were headed for the bed, he opened his mouth again hesitantly.

“I’m done putting this off. I want some normalcy before… … before whatever disaster’s next. And I want you, even if you can’t get that fact through that thick skull, and I’m finally going to do something about it instead of putting it off. So now it’s on you. You can walk away, or we can finish what I just started.” She finished, and when her brain caught up with the words and saw his eyebrows shoot up, she figured the sudden, unexpected boldness had thrown him too far. But then he was the one kissing her, and the bed had come up to the back of her knees. She couldn’t help but contain a chuckle at that.

So boldness worked.

She’d have to remember that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sooo... I was gonna give you guys some emotional, angry-apologetic smut, and I had at least most of it done and then I realized how lame it was and I wasn't feeling it, so I figured give you guys the implication, a really odd, corny ending, and then bits and pieces later on. Hope you're not too put off yet.


	10. Chapter 10

Rowena sighed heavily when she came to the next morning and felt Brynjolf toying with her hair. She scooted upward and offered a lazy smile. “Morning…”

He nodded and mumbled his own greeting before he pulled her closer. “Sleep well, I trust?”

She nodded against his shoulder.

He smirked. “Good. That means I did my job properly.”

“Dog,” Rowena accused playfully. She turned to get out of the bed.

Brynjolf reached over and hooked an arm around her. “Easy. Stay for a bit..." he pulled her flush against him. After a moment, he sighed. "Do we need to talk about… anything with this, Lass?”  

“No. I’m fine with it if you are.”

“Good,” the thief agreed, then pulled her back against him. “Then I vote we don’t leave the house- better yet the _bed_ today, and we do a few repeat performances.”

“Is that so?” she laughed and looped an arm around his shoulders.

“Aye…”

“You’re going to be one of those incorrigible, clingy ones now, aren’t you?”

“I’m bloody well considering it.”

Rowena laughed and eased a leg over his hips to straddle him. “Then I suppose your mind’s made up?” She leaned down to kiss him, only to stop short when the door to the house itself swung open. She rolled to the side with a yelp and the both of them glanced up to see what the intrusion was.

Delvin was on the other side of the door with a dagger at the back of a Penitus Oculatus Agent.  He looked just as surprised as they did before he grinned from ear to ear. “Gotta say I didn’t expect… _that_ outcome. Expected one of you to be dead- the dark elf and I both figured it was gonna be Bryn’s body I’d find here…” he explained. “Ya know, not that I’m complainin’. It’s about bloody time and the view’s bloody spectacular…”

Rowena huffed and tugged the sheet further up her chest. She gave the agent a quick glance, and the agent to his credit, kept his eyes on the ceiling. “Kryse, why does he have you at knifepoint?!”

The agent paused before shifting back and forth. The others knew he was choosing his words carefully, even if they couldn’t see his face, with his eyes glued to the ceiling. “He didn’t bloody believe me that the place is the both of ours. Just wanted me to unlock the door for him. I didn’t… see anything for the record. And that better not be one of my beds under you …” he explained.

“It’s not. Yours is on the other side with the other one.  And Delvin, he’s telling the truth. Leave him alone.”

“But he’s one of the Pentius boys, Boss! Those gents tried to kill you and the Brotherhood!”  Delvin objected.

“Right, and there was plenty of backstabbing from that and now there’s backstabbing in our damn Guild, so everything’s null and void. Kryse here and I had a deal- I didn’t kill him, I could use this as a shelter when I was in town and he’d act as a fence for me. Leave him alone. He’s a good man- he’s kept to his word.”

Delvin grumbled under his breath, but dropped his hand holding the dagger.

Kryse paused, then nodded. “I’m just gonna let you…” he replied before turning on his heel and leaving.

Rowena watched him go, then turned to Delvin and arched an expectant eyebrow at him.

“What, not even a little peek?” he countered.

“Oi!” Brynjolf objected.

“Hey, she’s yours mate, but can you blame me?” Delvin countered.

“Delvin!” they both yelled.

“Fine…” Delvin replied. “You’ve got a minute. We need to talk uh… business of the Maven variety,” he informed them. “And Bryn- good damn job,” he added, then ducked the goblet Rowena threw at his head. When it clipped his ear but managed to miss him otherwise, he barked a laugh. “Alright, I’m going. I’m going!” he closed the door as he went.

Rowena sighed heavily. “… I actually managed to forget about Maven…”

“If Teldryn was looking after her before, he can look after her now and make sure she doesn’t try anything. You can take a bit more of a break.”

“You’re just saying that to keep me in bed,” Rowena replied.

“Am I supposed to be insulted that you figured that out?” Brynjolf asked, then rolled so he was on top of her. He grinned down at her, then ghosted his mouth over hers before he pulled back slightly. “So what are we gonna tell the pups about… us?”

“Keep it simple. There’s a chance that you might have to change your name from ‘Uncle Bryn’ to… possible, future… Da, I guess.”

“That so?”

“I guess, if that doesn’t scare you off.”

“No, I was just wondering if we were going to, you know, try the indirect approach with, ‘after a long overdue conversation and an even longer overdue shag, we figured I need to stick around a bit more.”

“That so- oooh,” she cut the parroted phrase off when he slid into her. “Cad,” she accused. “And no, you’re not corrupting my children.”

“Well, you just implied they’re gonna be half mine soon anyway. And that doesn’t sound like it’s a complaint,” he realized his potential slip and shifted in her and she dug her nails into his back, only spurring him on in the process.

“It’s not. Just…  ugn. Can you- oh, you’re not gonna even try to stop, are you? You know, I do have to deal with Maven sometime… don’t give me that look.”

“She can wait another hour or two… or three…” he replied, dropping a kiss and then a bite on her neck.

“Teldryn’s gonna kill us for making him babysit. And Delvin’s probably listening in, waiting for this to progress  by the way.”

“Well then, I’m definitely going to make sure we’re both rightly satisfied before we go, and at this rate I’m willing to give him a show…” he leaned down to kiss her.

She humored him for a few moments, then sighed and locked her elbows and turned so she was on top of him. “It’s better if we get this over with.”

“I’m trying not to be ins-“

“You know what I mean,” she smacked him in the chest, then got off of him. She huffed dramatically at his groan of protest. “You know it needs to happen.”

“I do…” he sighed and sat up. He retrieved his clothes and dressed when she did. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Rowena stopped and turned to him. “I… don’t know. I just… there’s no doubt I’m going to have to be the old me and I don’t want anyone I care about around that.”

“You’ve… still done plenty of killing after the fact. Whether you had a choice, or whether the person was trying to kill you or not.”

“This is up close and personal. This isn’t… the usual… anymore.”

Brynjolf sighed and cupped her face. “Ro, you came to us right after that part of your life. It was the tail end of it and you were… repenting, but I still know it. If you want me there, I’ll be there.”

“Then I could use the backup. Just not… inside inside.”

“You sure?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Then what are we doing after that?”

“Going back to Riften to handle… business.”

Brynjolf nodded. “Alright then. I’ll get things set. Go do… what you need to do.”

“… Thanks.”

* * *

 

A few minutes later, Rowena had made it to the old shack where Astrid had recruited her. Just looking at it had her stomach going in knots. At the same time, somehow, someway it was a helping factor that she saw Teldryn sitting on the roof waiting for her, and Brynjolf had promised to come by a short time later- it was the small things that counted now.

Upon seeing her, the mercenary dropped down and walked over to her. He nodded a greeting, then pulled the Blade of Woe from his belt and tossed it up before catching it again so he held the hilt out to her.

She took it and offered a questioning look.  “I- “

“If it’s one thing I know we both appreciate it’s poetic justice,” he mused. “She’s been attempting to talk my ear off through the roof vent all day. Too bad she didn’t know about my second employer- Ser Far Too Arrogant to Survive…”

She forced a smile and arched an eyebrow. “You haven’t told me about that one yet!”  

“All in good time, my dear…” he replied. “But… history or not, I would suggest burning this place to the ground to cover your tracks.”

“My thoughts exactly,”

He nodded at her before he walked away.

Rowena slipped into the shack, then frowned upon seeing Maven look up at her.

The matriarch was pale and it showed that eating and drinking had been limited all day, but her eyes still bit into the other woman’s. “Ah. Rowena. I’m… surprised it is you. I expected Vex. Dirge. Even Delvin. Bu _you_? Since when do you get your hands dirty anymore? You told me you had moved on from that once.”

“Since you sent people after me and others I care about,” Rowena replied.

“You used to be part of the Brotherhood. I thought you would understand the logic.”

“You’re cleaning up after yourself to make yourself look better to the people.”

“You never questioned the reasons behind the kills,” Maven pointed out.

“And I’ve regretted that ever since,” Rowena replied. “But I was never fond of being stabbed in the back. Or used and tossed aside. And now I have to remedy that.”

“Riften will run itself into the ground,” Maven warned.

“I think you give yourself too much credit,” Rowena countered. “It’ll do just fine.”

“What? Under your leadership? Or your little pet Brynjolf’s? Do you really expect any of your people will do better than mine?”

“Yes,” she replied without second thought.

“Well then, know you were warned before it happened.”

“The latest assassin. My replacement. What’s his name?”

“Are you so sure it’s a man?” Maven countered.

“A little birdy told me,” Rowena shot back before unsheathing the blade of woe.

Maven snorted.  “You expect me to be scared by that? You expect me to talk if you wave that around?  You will get nothing out of me. Nothing…” she snorted. “And you’ve lost that edge you had at the start.  You-“ she gasped when a sudden, sharp endless pain hit her in the neck, then she gawked when she saw Rowena move her arm back- with a bloodied dagger in the process.  She scrambled to press her hand to her neck.

Rowena knelt in front of her. “This is the end of your legacy. This is where your corruption ends.  This is where manipulating people gets you.  And now- one of the biggest products of all your schemes is going to see this through.”

“I did- I made you. Remember that when you’re… so desperate to see me gone,” Maven forced out.

“And I’m already ages ahead of any of your influence. I. Am not. You.”

Maven went to reply again, but gasped again and collapsed. A few moments later, her blinking stopped and her chest stopped rising and falling. She waited another few moments before taking the dagger and piercing Maven’s heart. She wasn’t taking any chances. This was as far from her past jobs as it could get. She waited another few minutes before leaving the shack. Right when she crossed the threshold, she all but slammed the door shut and collapsed back against it. She was breathing heavily before she even knew she was.

“It’ over, Lass.”

Rowena looked up, then smiled weakly when she saw Brynjolf had walked over. “Hi…”

He pulled her to her feet, then into his arms. “You okay?”

“… More or less…” she tucked herself further into his arms.

“Now what? We going after the assassin again?”

“Not yet. We need to go back to Riften.”

“For?”

“To talk to the next generation about keeping Riften together.”

When they reached the city, Rowena had Shadowmere stop short when she saw smoke and flames rising from behind the gates. She all but threw herself off the horse and ran back and forth to try and judge where it came from.

Brynjolf was right behind her. “The Assassin…?”  he asked.

“Too big for that…” she replied, yanking her sword out of its scabbard. “And where are the guards?”

“No idea. Plan?” Brynjolf continued.

“You- Orphanage, Bee and the Barb, Guild…” she replied, frowning upon seeing the gate was propped open by debris.

“Where are you going, then?” Brynjolf asked.

“Wherever the most action is,” she shoved the gate open, leaning back when a flame curved in towards them. “Go. Now,” she pushed him inside before drawing her sword and running inside.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going with the idea that Hemming/Sibbi/Ingun are siblings, not father/son/daughter. Game's not really consistent with it and the sibling angle works better.

Rowena was barely in the city gates before she had a greatsword nearly catch her shoulder. She rolled to avoid it and turned to her attacker, trying to scramble for weapons at the same time. It was one of the guards. “What’re you-? I am tha-“

“Maven’s orders,” was the man’s only response before he went to swing again.

She rolled again, and then, from behind her,

“Rowa!”

She turned sharply, then ducked again when a waraxe’s blade came dangerously close to her head. She stopped upon recognizing the battlecry that the axe’s owner did: Maul- the same one who had called her name.

The man ducked and slid to avoid another guard’s sword, then drew Rowena’s dagger from its sheath before tossing it at her. “Took you long enough!” he barked.

“What is going on?!” Rowena demanded, thrusting the dagger into the guard’s chest as he stumbled from the weight of his latest blow.

“Maven gave a kill order a matter of hours ago. Anyone who’s not entirely loyal to her that her own people know of die!” Maul reported, then stumbled a bit on his latest recovery from dispatching his opponent. “Also got the order to kill you on sight because she… felt her end was near by your hand or something. Since you’re back and bloody and she’s not, you won whatever fight was coming. Quick, back to back!” he barked, and Rowena stumbled to obey.

“Then… why are you defending me here?” Rowena replied. “Last I checked-“

“Last I checked you saved my life. She just pays me…”

“That still doesn’t-“

“I’m a bit more honorable then materialistic, Princess. I owe you my life, least I can do is keep you and yours out of trouble.” Maul replied. “The guards are closer to the city. Saw your redheaded friend running past here a while ago, headed to the kids. The bald one’s around. Those are all the ones I remember having to… deal with, concerning speaking out against Maven?”

“No,  I… shit, Balimund!”  she realized before charging down one of the docks to get to the other side of the city.

Maul groaned upon watching her run and narrowly miss stray arrows and swords before he ran after her.

The pair arrived just in time to stop a guard from embedding her sword into Balimund’s back. Rowena threw herself against the woman and went to work parrying the shots when another guard flanked her. Maul tackled the newcomer away and Rowena backed up- right into the corner between the wall to the shop and the city gate. She arched forward to run back into the fray and stopped short upon feeling a sharp, burning pain in her side. She looked down to find that the guard had just about skewered her with her sword. The rest of the pain caught up with her and she doubled over before throwing herself at the guard again, stumbling when Balimund got to him a moment before.

When he did, the blacksmith spotted the damage, he and Maul fought off the last couple of guards and he bolted over to her. “Rowena!”

She gasped in pain and reached for him with one hand, then yanked the sword out with the other.

“What’re you doing?! That’ll-“

“I’ll be fine, just get me to Honeyside!”

“That’s-“

Rowena looked up through blurred vision, and managed to see a few sets of her Guildmembers taking on a few guards. She had the thought to wonder where Maven’s family was before she felt herself get weaker. “My people have things handled right now. I just need to get away-“

“ ‘My peop’-“ Balimund began, then scoffed. “You’re Thieves Guild, too. I should be surprised.”

“I never stole from you- never intended to, either,” Rowena countered.

“I know, Kid. Take it easy,” Balimund replied. “And it’s too far. We’ll use my sho-“

“Honeyside’s familiar once I get this healed and we can go back out. Just… get me up. Maul-“

“I’ll go make sure your people are okay,” Maul insisted before running off.

Rowena nodded weakly, then groaned when Balimund picked her up and pain rushed through her.

“Sorry…” Balimund muttered.

She nodded again, then tucked her dagger under her arm and started up a healing spell before pressing her hand to her wound.

After what felt like hours, Rowena sighed in relief when Honeyside came into view. “Thank the Gods…”

Balimund grunted in agreement, then turned to go into the house. He froze a moment later. “Rowa…”

She looked where he was looking to find the door had been kicked in. “Wha…? Let me down.”

“Not a chance…” Balimund replied.

A moment later, a fireball whizzed past their heads. There was a second’s pause before Teldryn’s head peeked up from the window.

Rowena sighed. “Teld?! How-“

Teldryn slowly stood, then disappeared before opening the door a bit wider. “Was a while away, saw an endless amount of flames, saw the city was burning down, figured who else’s fault would it be that a city was burning down, remembered you lived- you’re hurt,” he realized.

“Did you… break in my door?” Rowena asked.

“No choice. Your boyfriend got hit pretty bad by one of the guards. Had to take him somewhere to help him out that was… fairly out of the-“ he fired off a shot of ice and the other pair heard a body fall. “Come on, get inside. I’ll help you see to that and then you can get your friend.”

Balimund looked at Rowena, and when she nodded, he walked back into the house.

After they made it in, Rowena spotted Brynjolf out cold on her bed, bleeding in a diagonal line from his collarbone to hip. “Balimund, let me down.”

“But-“

“It’s not as bad as it was,” Rowena replied, covering up her own flinch as she said it.

Balimund looked uneasy, but he set her down.

Rowena looked at the dark elf.  “Teldryn, is he…?”

“Close to it, but I’m sure it would’ve been worse if I hadn’t stumbled into his fight. Let’s get to you first.”

Rowena opened her mouth to object, but  Teldryn clapped his hand over it. “No.” steered her towards the bedroom. “Next to your Not-Lover…”

“We saw to that ‘Not’ thing…” She muttered.

Teldryn chuckled, but she heard it sound uneasy when he saw the wound. “Aw, Teld, you actually do care.”

“Oh, hush. You know, I’m not the emotionless cad you all seem to think I am. You are the best boss I’ve had- guess this just comes with the territory. Now…” He slapped her hand away from her wound, where the healing magic was losing most of its glow and replaced it with his own.

“Bryn-“

“Can bloody wait. We’ve been holed up in here for the last few minutes, and when I wasn’t healing him I was making sure no one interrupted. Also- I wasn’t apparently seconds from death anytime recently so my powers aren’t dampened. He’s in better shape, I promise. You think I would let the Dragonborn’s lover be that damaged? You would kill me in an instant if I did.”  When she made a face, he sighed. “You do play favorites, my dear. We’re just lucky you have a lot of favorites,” he let his hand hover closer to the wound. After a few moments and an experimental poke he pulled back to see the skin had closed up and the wound had healed. “Good…”

“Good!” Rowena parroted, then turned abruptly to tend to Brynjolf, and Teldryn elbowed his way between them to assist.  “Balimund? Anyone coming?”

“Coast is clear,” the blacksmith reported. “Looks like all the guards are dead. It’s a ghost town now.”

Rowena turned back to Brynjolf and started undoing part of his armor to check the healing process.  She watched the skin start to knit itself back together and sighed. Not that she didn’t trust Teldryn’s word that her injury had been worse, but  seeing the fact backed up with the reality helped. She saw his breathing calm and saw his face twitch slightly.

The thief opened his eyes and groaned before glancing at his two rescuers.  “So is this the status quo now? I go down, I wake up to you two hovering over me? Or just this with the people switched about?”

“Just about,” She replied. She leaned down and kissed him before she got up and walked over to the weapon rack.

“What-?” Balimund began.

“Seeing the next generation about taking care of this place…” she walked over and opened the door, only to take a couple of steps back. “Mjoll! Aerin! Get in here now!” she hissed.

A couple of moments later, the pair arrived, and Aerin cast a cautious look around before closing and latching the door.

Rowena looked them up and down. “Thank the gods. I didn’t see you at all in the fight and I thought the worst.”

“Same to you,” Mjoll replied.

“We kept hoping you were travelling, but with you you can never be sure,” Aerin added. He spotted the blood on his armor. “Are you?”

“It’s fine. Do you two need tending to?” Rowena asked.

“We’re fine as well. Managed to duck out of trouble enough.” Mjoll replied, then reached over and tugged up on Rowena’s armor to ensure she was telling the truth. She looked at the others in the room and then frowned upon seeing Brynjolf. “You?”

“Aye. Me,” Brynjolf replied dryly.

“Bryn…” Rowena warned.

“She started it,” Brynjolf countered.

“Wait a minute… you two know….” Mjoll looked between them, then sighed. “The Dragonborn’s in the Thieves Guild.”

“She’s more than in it, Lioness,” Brynjolf added.

“Bryn, stop,” Rowena replied. “We don’t have time for any of this.”

Mjoll’s frown deepened when she saw Brynjolf blanch for a moment before he backed off. “And you’re… involved with the biggest scam artist in the market.”

Rowena clenched her jaw in order to stop from biting back with a comment about her and Aerin. “Yes. I am. And it’s been a long time coming and in that time you and I have been fine so there should be no change. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go see the rest of the Black Briars about how they plan to settle the latest development.”

“I’ll come with you,” Mjoll insisted, then caught Rowena’s raised eyebrow. “We’ve fought well together, and if there’s anything to be expected in there, it’s an interesting fight.”

“Sounds good to me, then,” she glanced at her other companions. “Stay put, or if you’re planning to go somewhere, make sure the kids are okay.”

“What- no! We almost lost you again and you want to go back out?” Brynjolf objected. “Teldryn, bar the door.”

“You’re not the one paying me, Friend…” Teldryn pointed out.

Rowena sighed. “We’ll be fine. If not, I’m just a few yards worth of stumbling to get back here.”

The men all turned to look at her, and she sighed.

“You’re hardly in any shape to go either, Rowa…” Balimund replied.

“If you want her to stay stop encouraging her,” Teldryn muttered.

“Exactly. Look, I’ll come back as soon as I can. Promise,” She replied before she headed out the door.

She had only made it a matter of feet before she spotted Ingun Blackbriar accidentally headed towards her. She growled and advanced on the woman, only for the other woman to spot her and toss her hands up as quickly as possible.

“Rowa, I swear, I’m not here to harm you! You know my mother and I never saw eye to eye!”

“Ingun, you’re my friend, and right now that’s the only thing you have going for you that isn’t getting you stabbed. Want me to trust you? You tell me what happened here?”

“Mother sensed… felt that you were coming. She  sent out a kill order. All of her people… against all of yours.” She replied. “Is Mother dead, then? I’d assume so, if you’re here and she’s not.”

“Yes.

“How many were hurt?”

“Minor injuries, from what I’ve seen. Your people- the Guild took care of all the rest,” Ingun replied. “… Is Mother…?”

“Yes,” Rowena replied without a thought.

Ingun stared at her, then nodded. “It was only a matter of time, then. I expected someone… else. Someone closer.”

Rowena decided not to ask and continued on with a glance at the Keep. “And your brothers?”

“Barricaded themselves in the Keep in case Mother’s allies got… arrogant. Or adventurous if they won the fight against your people and assumed they could take on the Keep’s people too.”

“Good. Then we’re off to have a chat with them,” Rowena replied.

“Her too?” Ingun asked and glanced at Mjoll.

“All three.”

“Fine.”

* * *

 

They reached the Keep and a couple of fire spells and a shout later, they had broken in the barricaded door. The sight to behold wasn’t one any of them were expecting.

Blood was everywhere. Dead guards were scattered around, and other random bodies of people Rowena had seen only in passing were also dead.

The random bodies weren’t the only ones. Rowena figured the Gods had some odd sense of humor when she saw Harrald, Hemming and Sibbi- the latter, she was still unsure of how he was even there- they had all collapsed with a yard of each other, wounds evidently where one of the other two’s weapons had clearly done fatal blows. It had come down to politics and power once again. She wasn’t sure why Harrald thought he had a chance against them. Then again, he thought he was stronger, so she supposed she did. She spared a glance at Ingun, who was looking at her brothers with a surprising coldness. “… … You know, if it was you and one of them on the floor, the standing brother would be asking for congratulations on being the last,” she pointed out. “So… you’re now the head of your household, I suppose.”

“Yes…” Ingun nodded slowly.

Rowena caught movement out of the corner of her eye and tossed her sword away in favor of setting up a shot with her bow  and arrow. “Come out. You’ve been seen, and I’m a far better shot than anyone in this place probably assumes I am.”

“Easy, Dragonborn….” a voice replied from behind one of the walls.

Rowena sighed. Saerlund.  He was power hungry as much as the others, but he was smart, despite incessant whining about not being respected. She eased up. “So… the former jarl’s son, and the now late-newer jarl’s daughter… is this going to end the same way as this?” She jabbed her bow in the direction of the dead siblings.

“No, no. I’m willing to talk… so long as she is,” Saerlund replied and glanced Ingun’s way.

“I have no desire to rule this place,” Ingun cut in.

“Nor do I, but it seems like one of us doesn’t have much of a choice,” Saerlund countered.

Ingun turned to Rowena. “You’re… literally the most powerful woman in this room. What say you if neither of us want to rule? You’re more of a fit to rule than either of us.”

After a beat, Mjoll, who had looked quite uncomfortable until then, shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”

“This place is already a disaster. I’m not going to add to it by being part of it more than I am.”

“Yeah, but I second the notion,”

Rowena jumped, then turned to see half of the Guild, headed by Delvin standing in the doorway, and the latter shifted from heel to toe and smirked, having been the one who seconded it. She made a face, wondering how they had all gotten in without much noise, then turned back. They were all staring now. “Oh, not this again. Look, I don’t know why you’re all suddenly diplomatic, much less why were none of you more active about it when it really mattered a couple of years ago, but we can’t just sit around here and argue and then let the place go without any leadership or it’s going to be worse for wear- more than it already is!” She replied, and when she saw all of the people- now even more were cautiously pouring into the Keep to see what the commotion was about. They had gasped at all the blood and bodies, but seeing the Dragonborn in the middle of it with a handful of others was distraction enough. “I mean at this rate if everyone’s so aware what the struggle for power has done to this place and is hesitant to risk that again, why not open the floor to people who want to change it for the better- or it better be the better,” she announced and hid the flinch at the double words. She hated doing that. She wanted to gawk when the crowd almost looked contemplative. They don’t really expect… Oh, no. You’ve done it now. You’ve gotten to a solution and half the people in here are going to die over it again. Congratulations, you tried to save Riften, but in the process destroyed it entirely. No chance stopping it now. “So, any takers? Any competition for these people?” She motioned at Saerlund and Ingun.

After a beat, Aerin cleared his throat from the back of the crowd. “If it’s one person who can handle it, it’s Mjoll.”

There were shouts of agreement and outrage. Her attention shifted to the Guildmembers, who had been entirely silent until that point, and then at Thrynn, who had been in a hissed conversation with Niruin, Vekel, Dirge and Viper. After a beat, he straightened out to be taller but kept his head down. “Delvin Mallory!”

There was nothing but outraged shouts this time, and Delvin went from looking surprised to smug to downright insulted at the boos.

Rowena sighed. “Doesn’t change the fact that he’s a fit leader. You all are,” she added, pointing at the others. “Any other takers?” she demanded sarcastically, hoping and praying there was some calm end to this. Was she really about to call this to a vote? She made a mental note to have guards arranged for each of the people. And then there was another safer idea… safer meaning less bloodshed, more than safer for the town. And it was better than a vote. But it was getting them all to agree to it that was going to be the problem. “Right… well… we’re gonna work on this, then.” She all but yanked Delvin out of the crowd and steered him over to the other three. “Anyone who isn’t being considered with all this, get out now, and… we’ll send someone when… oh, just get out.” When no one moved, she sighed. “NOW!”

That had everyone scrambling to leave. She had to love that particular perk. Even if it wasn’t any of the shout shouts, if she so much as raised her voice people knew better than to question the Dragonborn.

After the Keep had cleared out, the remaining four turned to look at her.

“So, what’s your actual plan… for all this, Bo…?” Delvin trailed off. “Business. For all this business.”

Rowena turned to look at him, then the others. “I have no idea. And that is exactly where all of you come in.”

They were all doomed.  


End file.
